On Monday, British authorities charged a 32-year-old man with ten counts of attempted murder. These charges stem from a terrifying stabbing spree on a train Saturday, which left eleven people with serious injuries requiring hospitalization. The Crown Prosecution Service identified the accused as Anthony Williams, a British citizen from Peterborough. In a surprising revelation, they also charged him with an additional count of attempted murder and knife possession linked to an earlier incident that same Saturday at Pontoon Dock DLR, an east London train station. While officials didn’t elaborate on this prior event, they reiterated their belief that the train attack itself was not terrorism-related, and a motive for the violent outbreak remains unknown. The incident forced the London-bound train, traveling from northern England, to make an unexpected emergency stop.
Tracy Easton, the chief crown prosecutor, stated, “We collaborated extensively with British Transport Police, examining a vast amount of evidence, including CCTV footage. The number of charges may be adjusted as the investigation progresses.” Police initially reported two arrests on Sunday morning but later clarified that one individual was mistakenly identified by witnesses and was not involved in the attack.
Of the eleven victims, five have since been released from the hospital. However, one person, identified as a London North Eastern Railway staff member who heroically attempted to intervene, remains in life-threatening condition. The British Transport Police praised the staff member, stating, “CCTV footage from the train unequivocally shows his actions were nothing short of heroic, undoubtedly saving many lives.” Superintendent John Loveless of the British Transport Police reaffirmed, “At this stage, there is no indication that this is a terrorist incident. We are actively working to understand the complete circumstances and motivation behind it. It would be premature to speculate on the causes at this early stage.”
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy confirmed the rapid progress of the investigation, asserting, “We are confident that we are not seeking any other individuals in connection with this incident.” This incident adds to a troubling series of recent stabbings that have heightened anxiety across Britain. Just last month, a synagogue in Manchester was targeted on Yom Kippur, resulting in one fatality and several injuries. Furthermore, a 22-year-old man was recently charged with murder and attempted murder following a triple stabbing in a west London suburb where a man walking his dog was killed.
Saturday’s train attack drew swift condemnations from Britain’s leaders. Prime Minister Keir Starmer voiced his deep concern on social media, extending his thoughts to all affected and his gratitude to the responding emergency services. An image from Huntington Station on Saturday night shows emergency responders and police officers at the scene. Authorities had initially arrested two men “within eight minutes” of the emergency call, but later clarified that one individual was mistakenly identified by witnesses.
Defense Secretary John Healey, who revealed he and his wife had been on the same train line just hours before, urged the public to stay vigilant while reassuring them that they should continue to feel safe in their daily lives. Speaking on BBC’s “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg,” Healey stated, “Initial reports indicate this was an isolated incident. Therefore, the public has no reason to avoid continued travel.”
David Horne, the managing director of the affected rail line, expressed profound shock and sadness over Saturday’s events. Horne conveyed his company’s heartfelt condolences, saying, “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, especially our colleague who remains in life-threatening condition, and their family.” Passengers on board recounted terrifying moments of chaos as the train hurtled towards London’s King’s Cross station. Olly Foster, a passenger, shared his harrowing experience with the BBC and on social media platform X. Foster wrote, “We fled from the rear of the train as everyone screamed to run, hearing that someone was stabbing everyone. There was blood on numerous chairs, staining the fabric, clearly from two men who had been severely wounded just ahead of me.”
Upon the train’s emergency halt, he and other witnesses described passengers rushing onto the platform, where fellow travelers and paramedics immediately began assisting the injured. Transport police received the initial reports of the attack at 7:42 p.m. on the 6:25 p.m. service from Doncaster, northern England, bound for London. Train engineers quickly initiated an emergency stop at Huntingdon, where armed officers from Cambridgeshire Police promptly boarded. Loveless noted that the arrests were made “within eight minutes” of the first emergency call. He concluded by assuring the public of “a high visibility presence of police officers at stations and on trains throughout today to reassure the public and address any concerns.”