Courageous Train Staff Member Receives Critical Injuries Amid Mass Stabbing Attack on Express Service
A valiant railway staff member who stepped in to protect travelers during a multiple knife incident on a express train has sustained critical injuries, authorities stated on Sunday.
Details of the Frightening Incident
Surveillance video allegedly shows the staff member trying to stop the assailant as the train journeyed between Peterborough and another station in Cambridgeshire. Bystanders described a terrifying 14-minute period after the train departed Peterborough, with injured passengers running through carriages.
The suspect, a 32-year-old citizen from Peterborough, is in custody for questioning. Police declared a major incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Crisis Response and Consequences
The incident on Saturday night resulted in 11 people being treated in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at the station in Huntingdon. Several individuals have now been discharged from medical care.
A bystander recorded the suspect waving a large knife and being shot with a Taser as he confronted officers on the station. He was reportedly heard shouting, "Kill me, kill me."
“This terrible incident has affected many people. We are thinking of the victims and their families – particularly the brave member of train personnel whose relatives are being assisted by trained personnel,” said a high-ranking law enforcement officer.
Labor Reaction and Calls for Measures
Rail associations were swift to praise staff and call for increased measures. A labor leader stated he would be “seeking urgent meetings with authorities, train companies and police to guarantee that we have the strongest possible support, tools and robust procedures in operation”.
Another association representative urged the rail company and government “to move quickly to examine security, to support the impacted employees, and to make sure that no incident like this occurs again”.
Driver Praised for Quick Thinking
The operator who halted the train at Huntingdon was reported as being “very shaken” but “well”, and has been praised by union officials for doing “precisely what was needed”.
“The driver did not halt the service in the middle of two stops where it’s obviously difficult for the emergency services to reach, but he carried on traveling until he got to Huntingdon, where the response was almost waiting,” explained a union representative.
Further Details
Authorities stated they got the first distress reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was compelled to make an unplanned stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
One witness described at first wondering if the event was a Halloween joke, but soon realized from people's faces that it was serious.
Authorities have stated there is nothing to indicate the incident was a terrorist attack and have requested the public to come forward with any further details.
Train services on the impacted route are expected to experience delays until the following day, with passengers recommended to postpone their travel where possible.
Anyone with information that could assist the inquiry are asked to contact authorities by texting a designated number with a reference code.