Courageous Rail Staff Member Receives Severe Wounds Amid Mass Stabbing Incident on High-Speed Train
A valiant train staff member who stepped in to save passengers during a multiple knife incident on a high-speed train has suffered critical injuries, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
Details of the Terrifying Incident
CCTV video reportedly depicts the staff member attempting to stop the attacker as the train journeyed between Peterborough and Huntingdon in the county. Bystanders 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, remains in detention for interrogation. Authorities declared a major event on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Emergency Response and Aftermath
The incident on the weekend led to 11 people being treated in medical facilities after the train made an unplanned stop at platform 2 in Huntingdon. Five individuals have since been discharged from hospital.
A bystander recorded the individual waving a large knife and being shot with a Taser as he confronted police on the station. He was reportedly heard yelling, "Kill me, end my life."
“This was a horrific attack that has had a wide impact. We are thinking of the victims and their families – especially the courageous member of train personnel whose relatives are being assisted by specialist officers,” said a high-ranking law enforcement official.
Union Response and Calls for Measures
Train unions were quick to commend staff and call for more action. One labor official stated he would be “seeking immediate meetings with government, rail employers and police to ensure that we have the strongest possible assistance, tools and robust protocols in place”.
A different union representative encouraged the train operator and authorities “to move swiftly to examine safety, to support the affected workers, and to make sure that no incident like this occurs again”.
Operator Praised for Rapid Thinking
The operator who stopped the service at Huntingdon was described as being “deeply affected” but “well”, and has been commended by union representatives for doing “exactly the right thing”.
“The driver didn’t halt the service 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 already there,” explained a union official.
Additional Information
Authorities stated they received the first distress calls 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 thinking if the situation was a holiday joke, but quickly realized from people's expressions that it was real.
Police have stated there is no evidence to indicate the incident was a terrorist attack and have asked the public to provide with any further information.
Train services on the impacted route are anticipated to experience disruption until Monday, with passengers recommended to postpone their journeys where feasible.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation are encouraged to reach authorities by sending a message a designated number with a case code.