A British man has been taken into custody on suspicion of attempted murder after a terrifying stabbing spree aboard a train heading for London. The attack left 11 individuals hospitalized with severe injuries, according to police reports released on Sunday.
While officials have indicated the incident is not linked to terrorism, a clear motive for Saturday evening’s brutal outburst remains unknown. The violence prompted an emergency stop for the commuter train traveling from northern England.
Initially, police announced two arrests on Sunday morning in connection with the assault. However, a later update clarified that one of the individuals was mistakenly identified by witnesses and is no longer considered a suspect.
Among the 11 people hurt, five have since been released from the hospital. Tragically, one person, identified as a courageous London North Eastern Railway staff member who intervened during the attack, remains in critical, life-threatening condition.
An image shows a police officer at Huntingdon Station in England on Sunday, near the train where the violent incident occurred.
The British Transport Police lauded the staff member’s bravery, stating, “Detectives have reviewed the CCTV from the train and it is clear his actions were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved many people’s lives.”
Authorities confirmed that the sole remaining suspect is a 32-year-old man from Peterborough, a city located approximately two hours north of London, and is a British national. A knife, believed to be the weapon used, was found at the scene.
Superintendent John Loveless of the British Transport Police reiterated that “At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that this is a terrorist incident.” He emphasized, “We continue to work to establish the full circumstances and motivation for this incident. At this early stage, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident.”
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy confirmed the swift progress of the investigation, stating they are “confident we are not looking for anyone else in connection to the incident.” He added that “specialist detectives are looking into the background of the suspect we have in custody and the events that led up to the attack.”
This incident adds to a troubling series of recent stabbings across Britain, heightening public anxiety. Just last month, a synagogue in Manchester was the scene of a deadly attack on Yom Kippur, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. Furthermore, a 22-year-old recently faced charges for murder and attempted murder following a triple stabbing in a west London suburb that claimed the life of a man walking his dog.
Britain’s political leaders swiftly condemned Saturday’s train attack.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his profound concern on social media, describing the attack as “deeply concerning.” He extended his thoughts to “all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response.”
Another image depicts emergency responders and police officers at Huntingdon Station on Saturday night, illustrating the rapid response. Initial reports led to two arrests within minutes, though one individual was later cleared.
Defense Secretary John Healy, speaking to the BBC, revealed that he and his wife had traveled on the same rail line just hours before the incident. He called for public vigilance while assuring Britons they should still feel safe commuting.
On the BBC’s ‘Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg’ program, Healy stated, “For now, the early reports suggest this was an isolated incident. So from the public’s point of view, there’s no reason not to continue traveling.”
David Horne, managing director of the affected rail line, conveyed the company’s “deep shock and sadness” regarding Saturday’s events.
Mr. Horne added, “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, particularly our colleague who remains in a life-threatening condition, and their family.”
Passengers onboard recounted terrifying scenes of panic and chaos as the train hurtled towards its destination, London’s King’s Cross station.
Passenger Olly Foster shared his harrowing account with the BBC and on X (formerly Twitter).
Foster vividly described the terror: “We ran from the back of the train to the end as everyone was screaming to run, explaining there was somebody stabbing everyone and everything. There was blood on the top of countless chairs, coming from 2 of the guys who had been severely stabbed ahead of me.”
As the train made its emergency stop, passengers, along with arriving paramedics and other travelers, rushed onto the platform to assist the injured.
The transport police reported receiving the first alerts about the attack at 7:42 p.m., concerning the 6:25 p.m. service from Doncaster, northern England, bound for London. The train’s engineers promptly made an emergency stop at Huntingdon, where armed officers from Cambridgeshire Police quickly boarded.
Loveless highlighted the rapid response, noting that the initial arrests were made “within eight minutes” of the emergency call.
The ongoing investigation was expected to cause rail network disruptions on Sunday. In response, Loveless confirmed that additional police resources would be deployed to trains and stations.
He assured the public, stating, “Passengers will see a high visibility presence of police officers at stations and on trains throughout today who are there to reassure the public and respond to any concerns.”