🔗 Share this article

A courageous train staff member who stepped in to protect travelers during a mass knife incident on a high-speed train has sustained critical wounds, authorities stated on Sunday.

Particulars of the Frightening Event

CCTV footage reportedly depicts the employee attempting to stop the attacker as the train traveled between a city and another station in the county. Witnesses described a terrifying 14-minute period after the train departed Peterborough, with bloodied victims running through carriages.

The individual, a 32-year-old citizen 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 Aftermath

The event on Saturday night led to 11 people being cared for in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at platform 2 in Huntingdon. Five people have since been discharged from hospital.

A bystander filmed the suspect waving a big knife and being subdued with a stun device as he faced officers on the station. He was reportedly heard yelling, "Kill me, kill me."

“This terrible incident has affected many people. Our sympathies go out to the injured and their loved ones – especially the courageous employee of rail staff whose family are being assisted by trained personnel,” said a high-ranking police official.

Labor Response and Calls for Measures

Train unions were quick to praise staff and demand increased measures. A union leader said he would be “seeking immediate discussions with authorities, train companies and law enforcement to ensure that we have the strongest available assistance, resources and effective procedures in place”.

Another association leader urged the rail company and government “to act swiftly to examine security, to help the affected workers, and to make sure that no incident like this occurs again”.

Driver Commended for Rapid Action

The train driver who halted the service at Huntingdon was reported as being “deeply affected” but “good”, and has been commended by union representatives for doing “exactly the right thing”.

“He didn’t stop the train in the middle of two stations where it’s obviously challenging for the emergency services to reach, but he carried on traveling until he got to Huntingdon, where the response was almost already there,” explained a union representative.

Further Information

Police said they received the first distress reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was compelled to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.

One observer recounted initially thinking if the event was a holiday joke, but quickly realized from people's faces that it was serious.

Police have confirmed there is nothing to indicate the event was a terrorist incident and have asked the public to provide with any additional details.

Train services on the impacted route are anticipated to experience disruption until the following day, with travelers recommended to defer their travel where possible.

Individuals with information that could help the investigation are encouraged to contact police by sending a message a specific number with a case code.