British police have launched an investigation after a knife attack on a London-bound train left 10 passengers injured, nine of them critically.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening on a train traveling from Doncaster to London King’s Cross, prompting an emergency stop at Huntingdon Station in Cambridgeshire.
According to authorities, two suspects were arrested at the station, while counter-terrorism officers have been called in to support the investigation. Police said the identities and motives of the suspects have not yet been determined.
“Ten people have been taken to hospital, nine of whom are believed to have sustained life-threatening injuries,” a police spokesperson confirmed.
Witnesses described scenes of panic inside the train as passengers tried to escape the attacker. One witness, Olly Foster, told the BBC he initially thought the commotion was a Halloween prank.
“I heard people shouting, ‘run, run, there’s a guy literally stabbing everyone,’” he said.
“When people pushed past me, my hand was covered in blood from a seat I had been leaning on.”
Foster said he saw an older man step in to shield a young girl from being attacked, adding that “the whole thing felt like forever, even though it was only minutes.”
Another witness told Sky News that the attacker was seen holding a large knife on the platform before police confronted him. Officers reportedly used a Taser before restraining the suspect.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident, describing it as “appalling and deeply concerning.”
London North Eastern Railway, which operates the route, advised travellers to avoid using services on Sunday due to possible cancellations and disruptions.
The attack has renewed debates over rising knife violence in the United Kingdom. Despite strict gun control laws, knife-related crimes have risen steadily over the past decade.
Government data shows thousands of blades have been confiscated in recent years.
Earlier in October, two people were killed during a stabbing attack at a synagogue in Manchester, while another separate daylight stabbing in London last week left one person dead and two injured.
The investigation into the train attack is ongoing, with police urging anyone with footage or information to come forward.
