Brave Train Employee Receives Severe Wounds During Multiple Knife Attack on High-Speed Train
A brave train staff member who intervened to protect passengers during a mass stabbing incident on a high-speed train has suffered life-threatening wounds, police stated on Sunday.
Particulars of the Terrifying Event
Surveillance footage allegedly shows the staff member attempting to stop the assailant as the train traveled between a city and another station in Cambridgeshire. Bystanders recounted a terrifying 14-minute period after the train departed Peterborough, with injured passengers fleeing through carriages.
The individual, a 32-year-old citizen from Peterborough, is in custody for questioning. Authorities declared a significant incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.
Emergency Reaction and Aftermath
The incident on the weekend led to 11 people being treated in hospital after the train made an unscheduled stop at the station in Huntingdon. Five people have now been released from medical care.
A bystander filmed the individual waving a big knife and being shot with a Taser as he confronted police on the station. He was allegedly heard shouting, "Kill me, kill me."
“This terrible incident has affected many people. Our sympathies go out to the injured and their loved ones – particularly the courageous member of train personnel whose family are being supported by trained officers,” said a senior law enforcement officer.
Labor Response and Appeals for Measures
Rail associations were quick to praise staff and call for more measures. One labor official stated he would be “requesting urgent meetings with authorities, train companies and police to guarantee that we have the strongest possible assistance, resources and robust procedures in operation”.
A different association leader encouraged the rail company and authorities “to move swiftly to review safety, to support the impacted employees, and to make sure that no incident like this happens again”.
Driver Commended for Quick Action
The train driver 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 stop the train in the center of two stops where it’s obviously challenging for the emergency services to reach, but he carried on traveling until he arrived to Huntingdon, where the response was almost already there,” explained a union official.
Additional Information
Police stated they received the first emergency reports at 7:39 pm, and the service was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.
An observer recounted at first wondering if the event was a holiday prank, but quickly understood from individuals' faces that it was serious.
Police have stated there is no evidence to suggest the event was a terrorist incident and have requested the public to provide with any further information.
Rail services on the affected line are expected to have disruption until Monday, with travelers recommended to postpone their travel where feasible.
Individuals with information that could help the investigation are asked to reach authorities by sending a message a designated number with a case code.
