Heroic Rail Staff Member Endures Life-Threatening Wounds Amid Mass Knife Incident on High-Speed Service
A courageous train employee who intervened to protect passengers during a multiple knife incident on a high-speed train has sustained critical wounds, police stated on Sunday.
Details of the Frightening Event
Surveillance footage reportedly shows the employee attempting to halt the assailant as the train traveled between Peterborough and another station in Cambridgeshire. Witnesses recounted a terrifying 14-minute period 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 declared a significant event on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Crisis Response and Consequences
The event on the weekend resulted in 11 people being treated in medical facilities after the train made an unscheduled stop at platform 2 in Huntingdon. Several individuals have since been released from medical care.
A witness recorded the individual waving a big knife and being subdued with a Taser as he confronted officers on the station. He was allegedly heard shouting, "Kill me, end my life."
“This was a horrific attack that has had a wide impact. Our sympathies go out to the injured and their loved ones – particularly the courageous employee of rail staff whose relatives are being assisted by trained personnel,” said a high-ranking police officer.
Union Response and Calls for Measures
Train associations were swift to commend staff and demand increased action. A labor leader stated he would be “requesting immediate meetings with authorities, rail employers and law enforcement to guarantee that we have the best possible assistance, tools and robust protocols in place”.
Another union representative encouraged the train operator and government “to move swiftly to examine safety, to support the impacted workers, and to make sure nothing like this occurs again”.
Operator Praised for Rapid Action
The train driver who stopped the train at Huntingdon was reported as being “deeply affected” but “well”, and has been praised 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 clearly challenging for the emergency services to access, but he continued traveling until he arrived to Huntingdon, where the assistance was almost already there,” stated a union representative.
Additional Information
Authorities stated they got the first emergency reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
One witness described at first thinking if the situation was a holiday joke, but soon realized from people's expressions that it was real.
Authorities have confirmed there is no evidence to indicate the incident was a terrorist incident and have requested the public to provide with any further details.
Train operations on the impacted line are expected to experience delays until Monday, with travelers recommended to postpone their journeys where possible.
Individuals with details that could help the inquiry are encouraged to reach authorities by sending a message a designated number with a reference code.