British police have arrested two individuals suspected of involvement in a mass stabbing that occurred late Saturday night aboard a train headed to London, leaving ten people injured — nine of them reported to be in “life-threatening condition.”
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Police and ambulance vehicles rushed to the railway station in the rural town of Huntingdon, in eastern Cambridgeshire, after receiving reports of the attack. The train was halted at the station.
In a post on X, British Transport Police stated: “Ten people have been taken to hospital following multiple stabbings on a train in Cambridgeshire. Nine of them are believed to have life-threatening injuries.” The force added that counterterrorism units are assisting in the investigation.
Authorities confirmed the train was traveling from Doncaster in the northeast to London King’s Cross, a route that is typically crowded with passengers.
According to The Times, a witness described seeing “a man with a large knife and blood everywhere,” as passengers scrambled to hide in restrooms. Some were trampled in the panic, while others were heard screaming “We love you!” amid the chaos.
Other witnesses told Sky News they saw the same man holding a large knife on the platform after the train stopped, before police used a taser and restrained him.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as “horrific,” writing on X: “What happened on the train near Huntingdon is deeply concerning. My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their swift response.” He also urged people in the area to “follow police instructions.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood later confirmed that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack.
Police said they received the report at approximately 7:40 p.m. local time, shortly after the train departed from Peterborough Station. Late in the evening, security teams were seen searching the train, which was declared a crime scene. Witnesses described seeing people escorted from the station wrapped in blankets, according to an AFP photographer.
The East of England Ambulance Service posted on X that it had launched a “large-scale response” at Huntingdon Station, deploying ambulances, helicopters, and rescue teams.
South Western Railways, which operates the train, announced a temporary suspension of all its services while emergency teams dealt with the incident, urging passengers to avoid travel and warning of “major disruptions” to train schedules.
The company serves major stations in London, Peterborough, Cambridge, York, and Edinburgh, with its trains often packed with commuters.
Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, wrote on X: “We’ve received reports of horrifying scenes aboard a train in Huntingdon,” expressing sympathy with those affected.
The identities of the detained suspects remain unknown, and the motive behind the attack has not yet been determined.
Britain and Wales have witnessed a steady rise in knife-related crimes since 2011, despite the country’s strict gun and weapon control laws. Prime Minister Starmer previously described the spread of knife violence as a “national crisis,” and his Labour government has vowed to curb it.
Last week, the UK Home Office announced that approximately 60,000 bladed weapons had been “confiscated or surrendered” in England and Wales as part of efforts to halve knife-related crimes within a decade.
Carrying a knife in public is punishable by up to four years in prison under UK law. Authorities reported an 18% decrease in knife-related homicides over the past year.
It is worth noting that two people were killed and others injured in a knife attack targeting a Jewish synagogue in Manchester earlier in October. (Agencies)
