Train hero fights for life as knife attack suspect remains in police custody
Police are examining the train at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire after a mass stabbing (Chris Radburn/PA)
A “heroic” railway worker is fighting for his life after trying to stop a knife attacker who targeted passengers on a busy train.
The London North Eastern Railway (LNER) staff member, who has not been named, remains in a life-threatening condition after he was injured while trying to protect passengers during the mass stabbing on Saturday’s 6.25pm service from Doncaster to London King’s Cross.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy, of British Transport Police (BTP), said CCTV from the train showed the man’s actions “were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved people’s lives”.
Passengers have spoken of the horror which unfolded shortly after the train left Peterborough station, with one woman saying she felt “very lucky” to be unharmed after begging the man to spare her life when he chased after her.
Dayna Arnold, 48, told the Mirror newspaper: “I fell down and I just said, ‘Please don’t kill me’. Something shifted in his face and he just carried on. He said: ‘The devil is not going to win.’.”
Olly Foster, who witnessed the incident, told the BBC an older man “blocked” the attacker from stabbing a younger girl, leaving him with injuries to his head and neck.
He said other passengers used their clothing to try to stem the bleeding.
Thomas McLachlan, 19, from London, told BBC News he saw people leaving the train “drenched in blood”.
Other passengers spoke of hiding in train toilets and the buffet car to protect themselves during the bloody rampage.
BTP declared a major incident when the train came to a stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, after passengers pulled the emergency alarms and two men were arrested eight minutes after police were called at 7.42pm.
Taxi driver Viorel Turturica told ITV News he was parked next to the station when he heard a commotion from a man he believes was the suspect.
“He was holding the knife straight and asking the police to kill him,” Mr Turturica said.
“He repeated three or four times ‘kill me, kill me, kill me’.”
Other witnesses described seeing a man waving a knife being shot with a Taser by police before being detained.
A 32-year-old black British national remains in custody on suspicion of attempted murder. He is from Peterborough and boarded the train there when it stopped at 7.30pm, officers said.
A 35-year-old man from London who was also detained has been released with no further action after officers established he was not involved.
Of the 10 people taken to hospital, five have been discharged.
Mr 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.”
A knife was recovered by police at the scene of the incident, which police have said is not believed to have been motivated by terrorism.
David Horne, managing director of LNER, said “our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, particularly our colleague who remains in a life-threatening condition, and their family”.
“I would also like to recognise the driver, crew and our operational response colleagues for their bravery and quick actions,” he said.
Train driver Andrew Johnson, who is reported to be a Royal Navy veteran, is said to have got signallers to divert the train to a different track, allowing him to stop at a platform at Huntingdon which was not a planned stop on the route.
He told ITV News: “I was only doing my job. It was my colleague who is in hospital who was the brave one.”
Nigel Roebuck, full-time organiser in the north-east of England for the train drivers’ union Aslef and lead officer with LNER, said: “The driver did everything he was trained to do, at the right time and in the right way.
“He showed real courage, real dedication, and real determination in the most difficult of circumstances. Our thoughts tonight are with his colleague who is still in intensive care.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to make a statement about the attack in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon.
Huntingdon station remains closed and police have thanked the public for their patience.
LNER, which operates East Coast Main Line services in the UK, said it expects normal service to resume on Monday, with passengers advised to check their journey online for the latest information.
Anyone with information they believe could help police is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 quoting reference 663 of 01/11/25.
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