Courageous Rail Employee Receives Critical Wounds During Multiple Stabbing Attack on High-Speed Train
A courageous train staff member who intervened to protect travelers during a multiple knife incident on a express train has sustained critical wounds, police confirmed on Sunday.
Details of the Frightening Incident
Surveillance footage reportedly shows the staff member trying to stop the assailant as the train traveled between Peterborough and another station in the county. Bystanders recounted a terrifying 14-minute duration after the train left Peterborough, with injured victims running through compartments.
The suspect, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, remains in custody for questioning. Police declared a major incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in central London.
Emergency Response and Consequences
The incident on the weekend led to 11 people being cared for in medical facilities after the train made an unplanned stop at the station in Huntingdon. Several people have since been released from hospital.
A bystander filmed the suspect brandishing a big knife and being subdued with a stun device as he faced officers on the station. He was reportedly heard shouting, "Kill me, kill me."
“This awful event has created broad consequences. Our sympathies go out to the injured and their loved ones – particularly the courageous employee of train personnel whose relatives are being assisted by trained officers,” said a high-ranking law enforcement official.
Union Reaction and Calls for Measures
Train unions were quick to commend staff and demand more measures. One union official stated he would be “seeking urgent meetings with government, rail employers and police to ensure that we have the best possible support, tools and effective protocols in operation”.
A different association representative encouraged the rail company and government “to move swiftly to examine security, to help the affected workers, and to ensure nothing like this happens again”.
Driver Commended for Quick Thinking
The operator who halted the train at Huntingdon was reported as being “very shaken” but “well”, and has been commended by association representatives for doing “exactly the right thing”.
“He didn’t halt the service in the middle of two stations where it’s obviously difficult for the emergency services to reach, but he continued going until he got to Huntingdon, where the response was almost already there,” stated a association representative.
Further Details
Police said they got the initial emergency calls at 7:39 pm, and the train was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
One observer recounted at first wondering if the situation was a Halloween prank, but soon understood from individuals' expressions that it was serious.
Authorities have stated there is nothing to indicate the incident was a terror-related attack and have asked the community to come forward with any additional information.
Rail services on the impacted route are expected to experience disruption until Monday, with passengers advised to defer their journeys where possible.
Individuals with information that could help the inquiry are encouraged to contact police by sending a message a specific number with a case code.
