Courageous Train Employee Receives Severe Wounds Amid Mass Stabbing Incident on High-Speed Service
A brave train employee who stepped in to protect passengers during a multiple stabbing incident on a high-speed train has sustained critical wounds, police confirmed on Sunday.
Details of the Frightening Event
Surveillance video reportedly depicts the employee trying to halt the assailant as the train journeyed between Peterborough and another station in the county. Bystanders recounted a frightening 14-minute period after the train left Peterborough, with injured passengers running through carriages.
The suspect, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in custody for questioning. Police declared a significant event on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in central London.
Emergency Reaction and Consequences
The incident on Saturday night led to 11 people being cared for in medical facilities after the train made an unscheduled stop at the station in Huntingdon. Several people have now been discharged from medical care.
A witness filmed the suspect waving a big knife and being shot with a Taser as he faced officers 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 – particularly the brave member of train personnel whose relatives are being supported by trained officers,” stated a high-ranking police official.
Labor Reaction and Appeals for Measures
Rail unions were swift to praise staff and demand more action. A labor leader said he would be “requesting immediate discussions with government, rail employers and law enforcement to guarantee that we have the strongest possible assistance, resources and effective protocols in operation”.
A different association leader encouraged the train operator and authorities “to move quickly to review safety, to support the affected workers, and to ensure nothing like this happens again”.
Operator Praised for Quick Thinking
The operator who stopped the train at Huntingdon was described as being “very shaken” but “well”, and has been praised by association representatives for doing “precisely what was needed”.
“The driver did not halt the train in the center of two stations where it’s obviously challenging for the first responders to access, but he carried on traveling until he arrived to Huntingdon, where the response was pretty much waiting,” stated a union official.
Further Information
Police said they received the initial distress calls at 7:39 pm, and the train was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
One observer described at first thinking if the event was a Halloween joke, but quickly understood from people's faces that it was real.
Police have stated there is no evidence to indicate the incident was a terrorist attack and have asked the community to provide with any further information.
Train operations on the impacted line are anticipated to have disruption until Monday, with travelers advised to defer their journeys where feasible.
Anyone with details that could help the investigation are encouraged to reach police by texting a designated number with a case code.