Nine Critically Injured in Horrific Mass Stabbing on London-Bound Train; Two Suspects Arrested as Counter-Terror Units Join Probe
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire – British police were investigating a mass stabbing on a London-bound train that left 10 people wounded, including nine critically, with two people arrested. The attack occurred on Saturday evening on the typically busy service between the town of Doncaster, in northern England, and King’s Cross station in the capital. The incident forced the train to stop at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire. Police said 10 people were hospitalised, nine of whom were “believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries”. Two suspects were arrested at the station, police said, adding that counter-terrorism units were assisting the investigation. The suspects’ identities and motives were not immediately known.
This shocking event unfolded on the 18:25 GMT London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service, shortly after it departed Peterborough around 19:30 GMT. The chaos lasted about 10 to 15 minutes, turning a routine journey into a scene of terror for passengers. Emergency services responded swiftly, with armed officers boarding the train and subduing one man with a Taser as he held a large knife. No deaths have been reported, but the severity of the injuries has left families and communities in distress.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the “appalling” incident as “deeply concerning” and urged the public to follow police advice. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood echoed this, saying she was deeply saddened and called for people to avoid speculation while the probe continues.
Timeline of the Chaotic Attack
The stabbing spree began in the standard-class coaches of the LNER Azuma train after it left Peterborough station. Passengers reported hearing screams and seeing a bloodied man running through the carriages, warning others of the danger. A 999 emergency call was made around 19:39 GMT, alerting authorities to multiple stabbings on board.
The train made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon station, about 15 minutes from Peterborough, where a massive emergency response unfolded. Armed police from Cambridgeshire constabulary and British Transport Police (BTP) stormed the train at approximately 19:40 GMT. They arrested two men at the scene, with witnesses seeing one suspect on the platform being Tasered and restrained while holding a large blade.
The national “Plato” protocol – used for marauding terror attacks – was briefly activated but later stood down, indicating that while terrorism is not ruled out, it is not the primary focus yet. The station was cordoned off overnight, with forensics teams in white overalls examining the scene. The empty train remained at the platform into Sunday morning, surrounded by police tape and tents.
Uninjured passengers were interviewed by officers and some were transported to London by coach. Rail services on the East Coast Main Line were severely disrupted, with LNER urging customers not to travel on Sunday due to possible short-notice cancellations. Bus replacements and hotel reimbursements were offered to affected travellers, with full disruptions expected to last until Monday.
Harrowing Witness Accounts from the Scene
Passengers described scenes of sheer panic as the attack unfolded. Olly Foster, who was on the train, told reporters he heard people shouting “run, run, there’s a guy literally stabbing everyone.” He initially thought it was a Halloween-related prank, but soon realised the horror was real as passengers pushed through the carriages in fear.
Foster recounted seeing an older man with gashes on his head and neck who bravely “blocked” the assailant from stabbing a younger girl. “The attack felt like forever though it lasted only minutes,” he said, adding that his hand was left “covered in blood” that had spilt onto the chair he had been leaning on. Other passengers used their jackets to stop the bleeding from the man’s wounds.
Another witness, Wren Chambers, described a man bolting down the train yelling “someone’s got a knife, I’ve been stabbed.” She saw blood everywhere and people hiding in toilets or fleeing to the front of the train. Some reported up to 12 people wounded, with victims collapsing on the floor amid the stampede.
A London Underground worker, Dean McFarlane, witnessed the aftermath at Huntingdon, seeing multiple bloodied people running down the platform, including one man in a white shirt “completely covered in blood.” Witnesses on the platform told Sky News they saw a man with a large knife being subdued by police.
These accounts paint a picture of ordinary people facing sudden violence, with acts of heroism amid the fear. Many passengers were left shaken, with some preparing to defend themselves using items like a bottle of Jack Daniels.
Police and Emergency Services’ Swift Response
British Transport Police declared the event a major incident, deploying over 20 police cars, 10 ambulances, fire engines, and air ambulances to the scene. The East of England Ambulance Service sent its hazardous area response team to treat the injured on site before transporting them to hospitals, including Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge and facilities in Peterborough.
Chief Superintendent Chris Casey of BTP said: “This is a shocking incident and first and foremost my thoughts are with those who have been injured this evening and their families. We’re conducting urgent enquiries to establish what has happened, and it could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything further. At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident.”
Counter-terrorism officers are supporting the probe to determine the full circumstances and any possible motive. Police have urged anyone with information to contact them by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 663 of 01/11/25. Road closures and cordons remained in place, with no ongoing threat to the public reported.
Defence Secretary John Healey noted: “The early assessment is that this was an isolated incident, an isolated attack. So there’s no reason for the rest of us not to get on with our lives.” MP for Huntingdon Ben Obese-Jecty praised the “quick and effective response” from emergency services, calling the incident “appalling and devastating.”
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union expressed horror at the attack, with a spokesperson saying: “Our thoughts remain with the train crew and passengers who were either at work or going about their business on a busy Saturday night during this awful incident.”
Broader Context: UK’s Ongoing Knife Crime Crisis
This attack adds to growing concerns over knife violence in Britain, where knife crime in England and Wales has increased since 2011, according to official government data. While Britain has some of the strictest gun controls in the world, rampant knife crime has been branded a “national crisis” by Starmer.
His Labour government has tried to rein in their use. Nearly 60,000 blades have been either “seized or surrendered” in England and Wales as part of government efforts to halve knife crime within a decade, the interior ministry said Wednesday. Carrying a knife in public can lead to up to four years in prison, and knife murders have dropped by 18% in the last year.
Recent incidents highlight the issue’s severity. Two people were killed – one as a result of misdirected police gunfire – and others wounded in a stabbing spree at a synagogue in Manchester at the start of October in an attack which shook the local Jewish community and the country. And a man appeared in a London court on Thursday charged with murder after a stabbing attack in broad daylight which left one dead and two injured.
As the investigation continues, communities are calling for stronger measures to curb such violence, ensuring safer travel for all. Authorities have stressed this appears to be an isolated event, but the impact on victims and witnesses will linger long after the train tracks reopen.
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