Heroic Train Staff Member Receives Critical Wounds Amid Mass Knife Incident on High-Speed Train
A brave train staff member who intervened to protect travelers during a mass stabbing incident on a express train has sustained life-threatening wounds, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
Details of the Terrifying Event
CCTV footage allegedly shows the employee trying to stop the attacker as the train journeyed between Peterborough and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Bystanders recounted a frightening 14-minute duration after the train left Peterborough, with bloodied passengers fleeing through compartments.
The individual, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in custody for questioning. Police declared a significant event on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in central London.
Emergency Reaction and Consequences
The incident on the weekend led to 11 people being treated in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at the station in Huntingdon. Several people have now been released from hospital.
A bystander filmed the individual waving a big knife and being shot with a Taser as he faced police on the station. He was allegedly heard shouting, "End my life, end my life."
“This terrible incident has affected many people. Our sympathies go out to the injured and their loved ones – particularly the courageous member of rail staff whose relatives are being assisted by specialist officers,” stated a senior law enforcement official.
Union Reaction and Calls for Measures
Rail unions were swift to praise staff and call for more action. One union leader said he would be “seeking immediate meetings with authorities, train companies and police to ensure that we have the strongest possible support, tools and robust procedures in place”.
A different association leader urged the rail company and government “to move quickly to examine safety, to help the impacted workers, and to make sure that no incident like this happens again”.
Driver Commended for Rapid Thinking
The operator who stopped the train at Huntingdon was reported as being “deeply affected” but “well”, and has been praised by union officials for doing “exactly the right thing”.
“He did not stop the service in the middle of two stops where it’s obviously challenging for the emergency services to reach, but he continued traveling until he arrived to Huntingdon, where the response was pretty much waiting,” stated a association official.
Additional Information
Police said they received the first emergency calls at 7:39 pm, and the train was forced to make an unplanned stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
One observer described initially wondering if the event was a Halloween prank, but quickly realized from people's faces that it was serious.
Police have confirmed there is nothing to suggest the incident was a terror-related incident and have requested the community to come forward with any additional information.
Rail services on the affected line are expected to have disruption until the following day, with passengers recommended to defer their travel where feasible.
Anyone with details that could help the investigation are asked to contact authorities by sending a message a designated number with a case code.