Courageous Train Employee Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries Amid Mass Stabbing Attack on Express Service
A courageous train staff member who intervened to save passengers during a multiple stabbing incident on a express train has sustained critical injuries, police confirmed on Sunday.
Details of the Terrifying Event
Surveillance footage reportedly depicts the employee attempting to halt the assailant as the train traveled between Peterborough and Huntingdon in the county. Bystanders recounted a terrifying 14-minute period after the train departed Peterborough, with injured victims fleeing through carriages.
The individual, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in detention for questioning. Police declared a major incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Emergency Reaction and Aftermath
The event on the weekend resulted in 11 people being treated in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at the station in Huntingdon. Five people have now been released from medical care.
A witness filmed the suspect brandishing a big knife and being shot with a stun device as he confronted officers on the platform. He was allegedly heard shouting, "Kill me, kill me."
“This terrible incident has affected many people. We are thinking of the victims and their families – especially the courageous employee of train personnel whose family are being assisted by specialist officers,” said a senior police official.
Union Response and Appeals for Action
Rail unions were swift to praise employees and call for more measures. A labor official said he would be “requesting urgent discussions with authorities, train companies and law enforcement to ensure that we have the best available support, tools and robust procedures in operation”.
Another association leader urged the rail company and authorities “to act quickly to examine safety, to help 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 association officials for doing “exactly the right thing”.
“He did not stop the train in the middle of two stops where it’s obviously challenging for the emergency services to reach, but he carried on going until he got to Huntingdon, where the assistance was pretty much waiting,” explained a union official.
Additional Information
Authorities said they got the first emergency reports at 7:39 pm, and the service was compelled to make an unplanned stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
One observer described at first wondering if the situation was a holiday joke, but soon understood from individuals' expressions that it was real.
Police have confirmed there is nothing to suggest the incident was a terrorist incident and have asked the public to provide with any additional details.
Rail services on the impacted line are expected to experience delays until Monday, with travelers advised to defer their journeys where feasible.
Anyone with information that could assist the inquiry are encouraged to reach police by sending a message a specific number with a reference code.
