An internet company that sold a machete to Axel Rudakubana is under scrutiny by law enforcement, according to the findings of the Southport inquiry report. The report highlighted that the Hunting and Knives website was promoting knives inappropriately and irresponsibly, making references to their use as weapons for combat and stabbing.
Rudakubana purchased a Congo Kukri machete from the website in October 2023 using a fake identity, exploiting the weak age verification procedures in place. The inquiry revealed that the machete, along with two others bought by the perpetrator, was delivered without proper age checks, as the company failed to ensure compliance with the legal requirement to verify the recipient’s age.
The report emphasized the need for a police-led investigation into potential criminal offenses committed by the company. It also shed light on the tragic incident where three young children were fatally stabbed by Rudakubana during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in 2024, using a knife purchased on Amazon.
Sir Adrian Fulford, the chairman of the inquiry, expressed deep concern over the lack of attention given to online marketing descriptions of knives and machetes. He highlighted the failure of authorities to enforce existing laws in this regard, emphasizing the preventable nature of the attack.
The report identified several key shortcomings, including a lack of risk ownership, information sharing failures, misunderstandings regarding autism, inadequate oversight of online activities, and significant parental failures. Among the recommendations made was a call to revise the process of purchasing weapons, especially online and by minors.
While acknowledging that improvements have been made to address these issues, Sir Adrian remained critical of the delayed response that led to stricter age verification processes on platforms like Amazon. He urged for timely rectification of deficiencies in e-commerce platforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
