HUNTINGDON, United Kingdom: Two British nationals were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a mass stabbing on a London-bound train on Saturday night, British Transport Police (BTP) said on Sunday, adding there was no indication the incident was a “terrorist incident”.
Police were alerted to an emergency on a train travelling from Doncaster to London’s King’s Cross at about 19:40 GMT on Saturday, BTP Superintendent John Loveless told reporters.
The train was stopped at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire, where armed officers, ambulances and two air ambulances responded.
“Police boarded the train and arrested two people within eight minutes of the first 999 call,” Loveless said.
He added: “At this stage, there is nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident.” The force declared a major incident on Saturday.
Victims and hospital update
Ten people were initially taken to hospital; four were later discharged. Two people remained in a life-threatening condition on Sunday morning, police said. Authorities have not released the identities of the injured.
Passengers described scenes of chaos as an assailant attacked people on board. Witness Olly Foster told the BBC he heard people shout “run, run, there’s a guy literally stabbing everyone” and said his hand was “covered in blood”.
Foster said he saw an older man block the attacker from stabbing a young girl.
Another witness quoted by The Times said there was “blood everywhere” as passengers hid in washrooms.
Several people speaking to Sky News described seeing a man holding a large knife on the platform after the train halted; the man was later tasered and restrained by police, witnesses said.
Suspects in custody
Loveless identified the two suspects as a 32-year-old British man and a 35-year-old British man of Caribbean descent.
Both were arrested at the scene and remain in custody, police said. Authorities are continuing to investigate the motive.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood and Loveless emphasised on Sunday that both suspects were born in the UK, seeking to counter speculation on social media about their origins.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as “appalling” and “deeply concerning”.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla said they were “truly appalled and shocked” by the attack.
London North Eastern Railway, which operates services along the route, urged customers not to travel on Sunday because of ongoing disruption and warned services might be cancelled at short notice.
“Passengers will see a high-visibility presence of police officers at stations and on trains throughout today,” Loveless said.
Rising knife crime
Knife crime in England and Wales has risen since 2011, official data show, and successive high-profile attacks have prompted national debate about public safety.
Starmer’s Labour government has described rampant knife crime as a national crisis and pledged measures to tackle it.
Police urged anyone with information or footage from the train to contact them as enquiries continue.
Forensic teams remained at Huntingdon station on Sunday as the train was held as a crime scene.
