Heroic Train Staff Member Endures Severe Wounds During Multiple Knife Attack on High-Speed Service
A courageous railway employee who stepped in to save travelers during a multiple stabbing incident on a high-speed train has sustained critical injuries, police stated on Sunday.
Details of the Frightening Event
Surveillance footage reportedly depicts the staff member trying to halt the attacker as the train journeyed between Peterborough and another station in Cambridgeshire. Bystanders recounted a terrifying 14-minute duration after the train departed Peterborough, with injured passengers fleeing through carriages.
The individual, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in detention for questioning. Authorities declared a significant incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Crisis Response and Aftermath
The event on Saturday night resulted in 11 people being cared for in medical facilities after the train made an unplanned stop at platform 2 in Huntingdon. Five individuals have now been released from hospital.
A witness filmed the suspect waving a large knife and being subdued with a stun device as he confronted police on the platform. He was reportedly heard yelling, "Kill me, kill me."
“This awful event has created broad consequences. We are thinking of the victims and their families – especially the courageous member of train personnel whose family are being assisted by trained personnel,” said a high-ranking law enforcement officer.
Labor Response and Appeals for Measures
Rail unions were quick to commend staff and demand more action. One union official said he would be “seeking immediate meetings with government, train companies and law enforcement to ensure that we have the strongest possible assistance, resources and robust protocols in place”.
A different union representative urged the train operator and government “to move quickly to examine security, to help the affected employees, and to make sure that no incident like this happens again”.
Driver Commended for Quick Action
The train driver who halted the train at Huntingdon was reported as being “very shaken” but “good”, and has been commended by union representatives for doing “precisely what was needed”.
“The driver did not stop the service in the middle of two stops where it’s clearly challenging for the emergency services to reach, but he carried on traveling until he got to Huntingdon, where the assistance was almost waiting,” stated a association official.
Further Details
Authorities said they received the initial distress reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was forced to make an unplanned stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
An observer recounted initially thinking if the event was a holiday prank, but soon understood from individuals' faces that it was real.
Authorities have confirmed there is no evidence to suggest the incident was a terror-related attack and have requested the community to provide with any further details.
Rail services on the impacted line are expected to have disruption until the following day, with travelers advised to postpone their journeys where feasible.
Anyone with details that could help the investigation are asked to reach police by texting a designated number with a reference code.