A man wielding a knife attacked passengers aboard a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train shortly after it passed through Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, on Saturday night, leaving eleven people hospitalized and a member of staff in critical but stable condition.
According to BBC, Cambridgeshire Police and British Transport Police (BTP) received multiple emergency calls reporting that a man was stabbing people on the train.
Some passengers initially mistook the commotion for a prank, with Halloween having been marked the previous day, before panic erupted as the seriousness of the situation became clear.
Among those injured was a rail buffet worker who attempted to intervene.
Police praised his bravery, saying CCTV footage showed his actions were “nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved many people’s lives.”
The train made an emergency stop at Huntingdon, where officers boarded and arrested two men.
One, a 35-year-old from London, was later released without charge.
The other, a 32-year-old British national from Peterborough, remains in custody on suspicion of attempted murder as investigations continue.
Authorities say expert teams are reviewing the suspect’s background and movements before the attack.
Eyewitness Olly Foster told the BBC that he heard shouting about a stabbing and at first believed it to be a joke. He then saw an older man suffering head and neck injuries, saying the victim had stepped in to protect a young woman.
According to the Daily Mail, the woman, identified as Maisie Harrison, had been unaware of the threat before the man placed himself between her and the attacker. Her mother later thanked the Good Samaritan online, writing: “Prayers for a full safe recovery to the hero of a bloke who jumped in front of my daughter and saved her life!”
Police have urged witnesses to come forward as they continue piecing together the events leading up to the incident.