Courageous Train Employee Receives Life-Threatening Wounds Amid Multiple Stabbing Attack on High-Speed Train
A brave railway employee who stepped in to protect passengers during a multiple knife incident on a express train has sustained critical injuries, police confirmed on Sunday.
Details of the Frightening Incident
Surveillance footage reportedly depicts the staff member trying to stop the assailant as the train traveled between Peterborough and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Bystanders described a frightening 14-minute duration after the train left Peterborough, with bloodied victims fleeing through compartments.
The individual, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in custody for interrogation. Police announced a major event on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Crisis Response and Consequences
The event on Saturday night 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 discharged from hospital.
A witness recorded the individual brandishing a big knife and being subdued with a Taser as he confronted police on the platform. He was allegedly heard yelling, "Kill me, end my life."
“This was a horrific attack that has had a wide impact. My thoughts and those of everyone in British Transport Police are with those injured and their families – especially the brave employee of rail staff whose relatives are being assisted by specialist officers,” said a high-ranking law enforcement officer.
Labor Reaction and Appeals for Action
Rail unions were quick to praise employees and call for more measures. One union leader said he would be “requesting immediate meetings with government, rail employers and law enforcement to guarantee that we have the strongest available assistance, tools and effective procedures in operation”.
A different union leader encouraged the train operator and government “to move quickly to examine safety, to help the impacted workers, and to ensure that no incident like this occurs again”.
Operator Praised for Quick Thinking
The operator who halted the train at Huntingdon was described as being “very shaken” but “well”, and has been commended by association representatives for doing “precisely what was needed”.
“The driver didn’t stop the service in the center of two stops where it’s obviously challenging for the first responders to access, but he carried on traveling until he arrived to Huntingdon, where the response was pretty much already there,” stated a union representative.
Additional Details
Police stated they got the first distress calls at 7:39 pm, and the service was forced to make an unplanned stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
An witness recounted at first thinking if the situation was a holiday joke, but soon realized from individuals' faces that it was real.
Police have confirmed there is no evidence to suggest the incident was a terrorist attack and have asked the community to come forward with any further details.
Train operations on the impacted line are anticipated to experience disruption until the following day, with travelers recommended to defer their journeys where possible.
Anyone with details that could assist the inquiry are encouraged to contact authorities by sending a message a designated number with a case code.