🔗 Share this article

A brave train employee who stepped in to save passengers during a mass knife attack on a high-speed train has sustained life-threatening wounds, police confirmed on Sunday.

Particulars of the Frightening Event

CCTV footage reportedly depicts the employee trying to stop the attacker as the train traveled between a city and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Bystanders described a frightening 14-minute period after the train departed Peterborough, with injured victims running through carriages.

The suspect, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in detention for interrogation. Authorities announced a significant event on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.

Crisis Response and Aftermath

The incident on Saturday night led to 11 people being cared for in medical facilities after the train made an unscheduled stop at the station in Huntingdon. Several people have since been discharged from hospital.

A bystander filmed the suspect waving a big knife and being shot with a Taser as he confronted police on the station. He was reportedly heard yelling, "End my life, kill me."

“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 courageous employee of train personnel whose family are being supported by specialist personnel,” stated a senior police official.

Union Reaction and Appeals for Measures

Rail unions were swift to praise staff and call for increased measures. A labor leader stated he would be “requesting urgent meetings with government, train companies and law enforcement to ensure that we have the best available assistance, tools and robust protocols in place”.

A different union representative urged the rail company and government “to move swiftly to examine safety, to support the affected employees, and to make sure nothing like this happens again”.

Driver Praised for Quick Action

The train driver who halted the service at Huntingdon was reported as being “deeply affected” but “well”, and has been praised by union representatives for doing “precisely what was needed”.

“He didn’t halt the service in the middle of two stops where it’s clearly difficult for the first responders to reach, but he carried on going until he got to Huntingdon, where the assistance was almost waiting,” stated a association official.

Further Information

Police said they received the first distress calls at 7:39 pm, and the service was forced to make an unplanned stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.

One witness described at first thinking if the event was a holiday prank, but quickly realized from people's faces that it was real.

Authorities have stated there is no evidence to indicate the incident was a terror-related incident and have asked the public to provide with any further details.

Rail services on the impacted line are anticipated to experience disruption until the following day, with travelers advised to defer their journeys where feasible.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation are asked to contact police by texting a specific number with a reference code.