A rail worker hailed for his bravery after confronting a knife attacker during a violent rampage on a high-speed train is fighting for his life in hospital.
The suspect, a 32-year-old man from Peterborough, was arrested after the 6:25pm LNER Doncaster to London King’s Cross service was stopped at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on Saturday.
Police confirmed he is the only suspect and is being held on suspicion of attempted murder.
A second man, aged 35, who was also detained, has since been released without charge.
A knife was recovered at the scene after armed officers responded to the emergency call and made arrests within eight minutes.
Eleven people were taken to hospital, nine initially described as having life-threatening injuries. According to British Transport Police, five have been discharged, while one, an LNER staff member who tried to confront the attacker—remains in critical condition.
BTP Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy said, “This was a horrific attack that has had a wide impact. My thoughts and those of everyone in British Transport Police are with those injured and their families – especially the brave member of rail staff whose family are being supported by specialist officers. Having viewed the CCTV from the train, the actions of the member of rail staff were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved people’s lives.”
The train driver, identified as Andrew Johnson, has also been hailed for his “courageous” response.
Nigel Roebuck, an organiser for the Aslef union in the north-east, said, “The driver did everything he was trained to do, at the right time and in the right way. He brought the train into a station where passengers could disembark safely and where police, fire and rescue, and ambulance crew could get on to the train and attend to the victims and, we believe, catch the culprit. He showed real courage, real dedication, and real determination in the most difficult of circumstances.”
Earlier, police confirmed the arrested men included a 32-year-old black British national and a 35-year-old British national of Caribbean descent, both born in the UK. The latter, from London, has since been cleared of involvement.
Witnesses told Sky News that police used a Taser on a man wielding a large knife after he went on a bloody rampage.
In a joint statement, the King and Queen said they were “truly appalled and shocked to hear of the dreadful knife attack,” extending their “deepest sympathy and thoughts” to those affected.
Although counter-terrorism police initially supported the investigation, BTP Superintendent John Loveless stated there was “nothing to suggest that this is a terrorist incident,” while confirming inquiries into the suspect’s background and motivations continue.
Deputy Chief Constable Cundy added: “Our investigation is moving at pace and we are confident we are not looking for anyone else in connection to the incident.
As would be expected, specialist detectives are looking into the background of the suspect we have in custody and the events that led up to the attack.”
Passengers described chaos breaking out minutes after the train left Peterborough, with alarms triggered and people scrambling for safety, some trampling over others and hiding in toilets to escape.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called it an “appalling incident” and “deeply concerning,” thanking emergency services for their swift response.
Opposition leaders Kemi Badenoch and Ed Davey also reacted. The Conservative leader said she was “deeply disturbed” by the events, later writing that “there’s clearly something going wrong in our society right now.”
The Liberal Democrat leader focused on the “very best of Britain” and praised the “extraordinary bravery” of those who intervened.
Defence Secretary John Healey, who had taken the same train route just hours earlier, told Sky News, “It’s the service I use every week to get home to Rotherham, so I can’t begin to imagine how shocked and frightened those passengers were.” Asked if the incident had affected the UK’s terror threat level, he confirmed it remains “substantial,” meaning an attack is considered “likely.”
Huntingdon Mayor Audrey McAdam said she was “very emotional” after hearing of the incident. “I’m still in shock… I’m very emotional, and as soon as I found out, I thought, ‘oh no’. I’m worried about the people actually in hospital at this moment… it’s something I never thought would ever happen around Huntingdon… it’s something so dreadful. But to live in that moment… it’s a horror film… complete horror. I just cannot imagine what the people must have [been] feeling… When you’re stuck on a train, what can you do? A moving train.”
Local MP Ben Obese-Jecty described the response as “rapid” and “incredible,” praising the officers who “came to try and neutralise that threat.”
Government sources told the PA news agency that additional police patrols will be deployed across the rail network until at least Tuesday, focusing on major terminals such as London, Birmingham, York, Leeds, Manchester, and Huntingdon.
National Rail said services to and from London King’s Cross, including LNER, Great Northern, and Thameslink routes, faced disruptions on Sunday.
