Heroic Rail Employee Suffers Severe Injuries During Mass Stabbing Attack on Express Service
A valiant train employee who intervened to save passengers during a mass stabbing incident on a express train has sustained life-threatening injuries, police confirmed on Sunday.
Details of the Terrifying Event
Surveillance footage allegedly depicts the staff member attempting to stop the attacker as the train journeyed between Peterborough and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Bystanders described a terrifying 14-minute duration after the train left Peterborough, with bloodied passengers fleeing through compartments.
The individual, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in custody for interrogation. Police declared a significant incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in central London.
Crisis Reaction and Aftermath
The event on the weekend resulted in 11 people being cared for in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at the station in Huntingdon. Five people have now been released from hospital.
A witness recorded the individual waving a large knife and being shot with a stun device as he confronted officers on the platform. He was reportedly heard shouting, "Kill me, kill me."
“This awful event has created broad consequences. Our sympathies go out to the injured and their loved ones – especially the brave employee of rail staff whose family are being assisted by specialist personnel,” said a senior police official.
Union Reaction and Appeals for Action
Rail associations were quick to commend employees and call for increased action. A labor leader said he would be “seeking immediate meetings with government, rail employers and law enforcement to ensure that we have the strongest available support, tools and effective protocols in operation”.
A different association representative encouraged the train operator and authorities “to act swiftly to examine security, to support the affected employees, and to make sure that no incident like this happens again”.
Operator Praised for Rapid Action
The operator who halted the train at Huntingdon was reported as being “very shaken” but “well”, and has been commended by association officials for doing “exactly the right thing”.
“The driver did not halt the service in the center of two stations where it’s clearly difficult for the first responders to reach, but he carried on traveling until he got to Huntingdon, where the assistance was almost already there,” explained a association official.
Additional Details
Police stated they got the initial emergency reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was compelled to make an unplanned stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
An observer recounted at first thinking if the event was a holiday prank, but soon understood from people's faces that it was serious.
Police have confirmed there is nothing to suggest the event was a terrorist incident and have requested the public to come forward with any further information.
Rail services on the affected line are expected to experience disruption until Monday, with passengers recommended to defer their journeys where possible.
Individuals with information that could assist the investigation are encouraged to reach police by texting a designated number with a reference code.