Brave Rail Staff Member Endures Life-Threatening Wounds During Mass Knife Incident on High-Speed Service

A valiant railway staff member who intervened to protect travelers during a mass stabbing attack on a express train has suffered life-threatening injuries, police confirmed on Sunday.

Particulars of the Terrifying Incident

Surveillance footage reportedly shows the staff member attempting to stop the attacker as the train journeyed between Peterborough and Huntingdon in the county. Witnesses described a terrifying 14-minute period after the train departed Peterborough, with injured passengers running through carriages.

The suspect, a 32-year-old citizen from Peterborough, remains in custody for questioning. Police declared a major incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.

Crisis Response and Aftermath

The event on the weekend resulted in 11 people being treated in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at platform 2 in Huntingdon. Several people have now been discharged from hospital.

A witness filmed the suspect waving a large knife and being shot with a stun device as he faced officers on the platform. He was reportedly heard shouting, "End my life, end my life."

“This awful event has created broad consequences. We are thinking of the victims and their families – especially the brave member of train personnel whose family are being assisted by trained officers,” said a senior law enforcement official.

Union Response and Calls for Action

Train associations were swift to commend employees and demand more measures. A labor official stated he would be “seeking immediate meetings with authorities, rail employers and police to ensure that we have the best possible assistance, tools and effective protocols in place”.

Another union representative urged the train operator and government “to act swiftly to examine security, to support the affected workers, and to make sure that no incident like this happens again”.

Driver Commended for Quick Thinking

The operator who stopped the train at Huntingdon was reported as being “very shaken” but “good”, and has been praised by association representatives for doing “precisely what was needed”.

“He didn’t halt the service in the center of two stations where it’s clearly challenging for the first responders to reach, but he carried on going until he arrived to Huntingdon, where the response was pretty much already there,” explained a association official.

Additional Details

Authorities said they received the initial distress reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.

One observer recounted initially thinking if the event was a Halloween joke, but quickly realized from individuals' faces that it was real.

Police have stated there is nothing to suggest the incident was a terror-related incident and have asked the community to come forward with any additional details.

Train operations on the affected line are anticipated to experience delays until the following day, with travelers advised to defer their journeys where possible.

Anyone with information that could help the inquiry are asked to contact police by sending a message a specific number with a reference code.

Jacqueline Jimenez
Jacqueline Jimenez

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