A terror investigation has been initiated after a knife attack on a UK train left nine individuals in critical condition.
Counter-terrorism officers in the UK have joined the efforts to investigate a mass stabbing incident on a train departing Peterborough station. The train was forced to make an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on Saturday, November 1.
Police responded to the scene at 7.39pm, where 10 victims were quickly taken to the hospital with stab wounds. Officers subdued the alleged attacker using a taser.
Out of the victims, nine are reported to have life-threatening injuries, while one is in serious but not critical condition.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, British Transport Police confirmed that there were no fatalities from the attack.
The police force has confirmed the arrest of two individuals in connection with the violent spree and has declared a ‘major incident.’
Following the stabbing, police invoked Code Plato, a national code employed by British emergency services in response to a ‘marauding terror attack,’ as reported by the Daily Mail. However, this status was later retracted, according to BTP.
Armed officers, paramedics, air ambulances, and transport police responded to the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service, which was en route from Doncaster to London’s King Cross.
According to witnesses, the attack occurred approximately nine minutes after the train left Peterborough, prompting passengers to activate the emergency alarm and seek refuge in the toilets.
Some witnesses reported being trampled by panicked passengers as they observed someone wielding a ‘big knife’ in the carriage.
A passenger named Gavin recounted to Sky News how he heard people rushing across the train during the attack and overheard someone exclaiming: “They’ve got a knife. I have been stabbed.”
“They were making their way through to get away from the suspect,” he added. “They were extremely bloodied.”
Gavin further described how a person collapsed on the floor as the train came to a halt, preventing further movement down the train.
Eyewitnesses also claimed that police ‘tasered a man waving a large knife’ on the platform before apprehending the suspect.
Gavin mentioned being ‘ushered out of the station from the platform’ while observing ‘multiple’ apparent victims.
“The armed police were pointing to the suspect as we came off the train,” he noted.
Although counter-terrorism teams are involved, authorities are urging calm as the investigation continues. They emphasized that it would be ‘inappropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident’ at this time.
Chief Superintendent Chris Casey remarked, “This is a shocking incident and first and foremost my thoughts are with those who have been injured this evening and their families.”
“We’re conducting urgent enquiries to establish what has happened, and it could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything further,” he continued.
“At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident. Our response is ongoing at the station and will be for some time.”
He added, “Cordons are in place and trains are not currently running through the area, and there are also some road closures. I thank the public for their patience and their cooperation this evening which has already greatly assisted our policing response. We will update you again as soon as we have more information.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed concern over the ‘appalling incident’, describing it as ‘deeply concerning’.
“My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response,” he stated on X, formerly known as Twitter.