Heroic Rail Staff Member Endures Severe Injuries During Multiple Knife Incident on Express Train
A brave railway staff member who intervened to protect travelers during a multiple knife attack on a express train has sustained life-threatening wounds, police stated on Sunday.
Particulars of the Terrifying Event
CCTV footage allegedly shows the staff member trying to halt the attacker as the train traveled between a city and another station in Cambridgeshire. Witnesses described a frightening 14-minute period after the train departed Peterborough, with injured passengers running through carriages.
The suspect, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, is in detention for questioning. Authorities announced a significant incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Emergency Reaction and Consequences
The event on the weekend resulted in 11 people being cared for in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at platform 2 in Huntingdon. Five people have since been discharged from medical care.
A bystander recorded the individual brandishing a large knife and being shot with a stun device as he confronted officers on the platform. He was allegedly heard shouting, "End my life, end my life."
“This awful event has created broad consequences. We are thinking of the victims and their families – particularly the brave employee of rail staff whose family are being supported by trained personnel,” stated a high-ranking law enforcement official.
Union Reaction and Appeals for Measures
Rail unions were swift to commend staff and demand increased action. One labor leader stated he would be “requesting immediate meetings with authorities, rail employers and police to ensure that we have the best possible assistance, resources and effective protocols in place”.
Another union leader encouraged the train operator and government “to act swiftly to review security, to support the affected employees, and to ensure nothing like this happens again”.
Operator Praised for Rapid Thinking
The train driver who stopped the service at Huntingdon was reported as being “very shaken” but “good”, and has been commended by union officials for doing “precisely what was needed”.
“He did not stop the train in the middle of two stops where it’s obviously difficult for the first responders to access, but he continued going until he got to Huntingdon, where the response was almost already there,” explained a union official.
Further Details
Authorities said they got the first distress reports at 7:39 pm, and the service was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
One observer described at first thinking if the situation was a holiday prank, but soon understood from people's expressions that it was real.
Police have confirmed there is no evidence to suggest the event was a terror-related attack and have requested the community to provide with any further details.
Train services on the impacted line are expected to experience delays until the following day, with passengers recommended to postpone their journeys where feasible.
Individuals with details that could assist the inquiry are asked to contact police by texting a designated number with a case code.