A HERO grandad stabbed by the Southport attacker today described how he “grappled” with the monster in scenes similar to a “horror movie”.
John Hayes was at work when he heard a “commotion” coming from a Taylor Swift dance class last summer.
LinkedinJohn Hayes was stabbed by Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana[/caption]
AFPHe ran into the community centre after realising what had unfolded[/caption]
Axel Rudakubana murdered Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, and injured other children in the horror.
John told a public inquiry he ran in to the community centre and was immediately confronted by the triple killer.
He added: “My initial feeling was one of terror, seeing a man wielding a bloody knife.
“That quickly turned to horror as I witnessed critically injured children and began to realise what was happening.
“I grappled with the attacker and fell to the floor.”
John said he did not realise he had been stabbed at first until he looked down to find blood pouring from his leg.
He explained Rudakubana was “still there in front of me while I was lying prone on the floor”.
John said this meant he had to “contend with the possibility he was going to come back and try to finish me off”.
The inquiry heard a colleague came and shut the door, while other co-workers tried to bandage his leg.
John described the aftermath as “like something from a horror movie, it was like someone had painted the walls red”.
He told the probe he believed he was dying at “every stage” of the journey from the community space to hospital.
The grandad also recalled how when he was reunited with his wife, he wept as he told her how he tried to help one young girl.
PAElsie Dot was stabbed to death at a dance class[/caption]
PABebe King, 6, was among the youngsters stabbed to death[/caption]
PAAlice Dasilva Aguiar was also left dead in the rampage[/caption]
John explained how the blade went 10cm into his leg and he now has a scar that reminds him daily of what happened.
He is now too scared to work alone and has been diagnosed with PTSD.
John added: “I wouldn’t say what happened has dented my enthusiasm for life, but you can’t go through something like that and not be impacted.
“I find it harder to enjoy things than I did previously. In some ways, my world has got a bit smaller, and I feel vulnerable outside our bubble.
“However, I am a survivor, and I am grateful to all those who played a part in enabling me to say that.”
The inquiry also heard from a mum whose daughter was severely injured in the July 29 massacre.
She recalled how her husband had gone to pick up their children when he arrived at the scene of the rampage.
The mum said: “The words he spoke will never leave me: ‘You need to get here now. The kids have been stabbed’.
“Shock took over instantly. I couldn’t make sense of the words. I went to my neighbour to drive me to the scene, it was the slowest journey to get there.
“My husband meanwhile had entered the building, witnessing true horror that will stay with him forever, and been unable to locate our daughters.
“During his search he recalls time standing still, hearing screams and he then received a call from our eldest and located the girls at the neighbour’s house.
“He relives these moments daily.”
The public inquiry is examining whether the attack could or should have been prevented given what was known about the killer.
Following the horror, it emerged the killer had a “sickening interest in death” and had made chilling searches for school massacres before carrying out the rampage.
His morbid fascination saw him flagged three times to anti-terror programme Prevent but no further action was taken.
As a result, the killer was free to storm the Hart Space community centre and begin senselessly knifing terrified children and adults.
A rapid review into his contact with Prevent found his case should have been kept open.
It also concluded Rudakubana should have been referred to Channel, another anti-terror scheme.
Retired senior judge Sir Adrian Fulford, who is leading the review, has made the decision not to name the killer and instead refer to him as AR.
The inquiry has been split into two phases, with the first focusing on the circumstances leading to the attack and Rudakubana’s contact with Prevent.
Sir Adrian will examine how young people are “drawn into extreme violence” during the second phase.
The killer pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and ten of attempted murder.
He also admitted two terror offences after police found ricin and an Al-Qaeda manual at his home.
Despite this, cops are still not treating the attack as terror-related.
He was jailed for life with a minimum of 52 years following the horrific triple murder but will likely never be released.
The inquiry continues.
PARudakubana was jailed for life[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
