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Train Stabbing Declared ‘Major Incident,’ 10 Hospitalized with Life-Threatening Injuries
HUNTINGDON, England – A mass stabbing attack on a London-bound train Saturday evening has left ten people hospitalized, nine with life-threatening injuries, prompting British authorities to declare it a “major incident.” Counter-terrorism police are now assisting with the ongoing investigation.
British Transport Police confirmed the grim details in a statement early Sunday, hours after the attack unfolded. “Ten people have been taken to hospital with nine believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries,” the statement read. “This has been declared a major incident and Counter Terrorism Policing are supporting our investigation whilst we work to establish the full circumstances and motivation for this incident.”
Emergency services, including armed police and air ambulances, swiftly responded to Huntingdon station shortly after 7:30 p.m. local time Saturday. The incident occurred as the train, traveling from Doncaster to London King’s Cross, pulled into the market town, located approximately 75 miles north of London. Two individuals were arrested at the station.
The East of England Ambulance Service confirmed on social media that they had “transported multiple patients to hospital.” British Transport Police, responsible for security on the nation’s railways, is leading the investigation but has not yet provided a motive for the attack.
Eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing picture. The British newspaper The Times reported that one witness described seeing a man with a large knife and “blood everywhere.” Passengers reportedly sought refuge in bathrooms, with some being “stamped (on) by others” in the panic to escape.
Paul Bristow, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, took to social media to express his concern, reporting “horrendous scenes” on the train.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also addressed the incident, calling it an “appalling incident” that was “deeply concerning.” He urged residents in the area to “follow the advice of the police” and extended his thoughts to those affected, thanking the emergency services for their rapid response.