Heroic Train Staff Member Receives Life-Threatening Wounds Amid Multiple Stabbing Attack on Express Train
A brave railway employee who intervened to save travelers during a mass knife incident on a express train has sustained critical injuries, police confirmed on Sunday.
Particulars of the Frightening Event
CCTV footage reportedly shows the employee trying to halt the attacker as the train traveled between a city and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Bystanders described a frightening 14-minute duration after the train left Peterborough, with injured passengers running through compartments.
The individual, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in detention for interrogation. Police declared a significant incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Emergency Response and Consequences
The event on Saturday night led to 11 people being cared for in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at the station in Huntingdon. Five individuals have since been released from medical care.
A witness filmed the suspect waving a large knife and being subdued with a Taser as he confronted officers on the platform. He was allegedly heard yelling, "Kill me, kill me."
“This awful event has created broad consequences. Our sympathies go out to the injured and their loved ones – particularly the brave member of rail staff whose family are being supported by trained personnel,” stated a senior law enforcement official.
Union Reaction and Calls for Action
Rail unions were swift to praise employees and call for more action. One union leader stated he would be “seeking urgent meetings with authorities, rail employers and police to guarantee that we have the best available support, resources and effective procedures in place”.
Another association representative encouraged the rail company and government “to move quickly to examine safety, to support the affected workers, and to ensure nothing like this occurs again”.
Driver Commended for Quick Action
The train driver who halted the service at Huntingdon was reported as being “deeply affected” but “good”, and has been commended by association officials for doing “exactly the right thing”.
“He didn’t stop the service in the center of two stops where it’s clearly challenging for the emergency services to access, but he continued traveling until he got to Huntingdon, where the assistance was pretty much already there,” explained a association representative.
Additional Details
Authorities stated they got the initial distress reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was compelled to make an unplanned stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
An witness described initially thinking if the situation was a Halloween prank, but quickly understood from individuals' expressions that it was serious.
Police have stated there is no evidence to suggest the incident was a terror-related attack and have requested the community to provide with any further information.
Train services on the impacted line are expected to experience disruption until the following day, with passengers advised to defer their travel where possible.
Individuals with details that could help the investigation are asked to contact authorities by sending a message a designated number with a case code.