Heroic Rail Staff Member Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries Amid Multiple Knife Attack on Express Train
A brave railway employee who stepped in to save travelers during a mass knife incident on a high-speed train has sustained life-threatening injuries, police confirmed on Sunday.
Details of the Frightening Event
Surveillance footage reportedly shows the employee attempting to halt the assailant as the train journeyed between a city and Huntingdon in the county. Bystanders described a frightening 14-minute period after the train left Peterborough, with injured passengers running through compartments.
The individual, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, remains in custody for interrogation. Authorities declared a significant incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Emergency Response and Consequences
The incident on the weekend led to 11 people being cared for in medical facilities after the train made an unscheduled stop at the station in Huntingdon. Several individuals have since been released from hospital.
A witness recorded the suspect waving a big knife and being shot with a Taser as he faced police on the station. He was reportedly heard shouting, "End my life, end my life."
“This terrible incident has affected many people. We are thinking of the victims and their families – especially the brave member of rail staff whose relatives are being supported by trained officers,” stated a senior police official.
Labor Reaction and Calls for Action
Train associations were quick to commend staff and demand more action. One labor official stated he would be “seeking immediate meetings with government, rail employers and law enforcement to guarantee that we have the best possible assistance, tools and robust protocols in place”.
Another union leader urged the rail company and government “to move quickly to review safety, to support the impacted employees, and to ensure that no incident like this happens again”.
Driver Commended for Quick Thinking
The train driver who halted the train at Huntingdon was reported as being “very shaken” but “good”, and has been praised by union 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 emergency services to access, but he continued going until he arrived to Huntingdon, where the response was almost already there,” stated a union representative.
Further Details
Authorities said they got the first distress reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was compelled to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
One observer described at first wondering if the situation was a Halloween joke, but quickly realized from people's expressions that it was real.
Police have confirmed there is nothing to suggest the event was a terror-related attack and have requested the community to provide with any additional details.
Rail operations on the impacted route are anticipated to experience disruption until the following day, with passengers recommended to defer their travel where feasible.
Anyone with information that could help the investigation are asked to reach police by sending a message a specific number with a reference code.