HUNTINGDON, England — British police arrested two suspects after a stabbing attack on a London-bound train left 10 people hospitalized late Saturday, nine of them with what authorities described as life-threatening injuries.
The incident unfolded on a train traveling from Doncaster in northeast England to London’s King’s Cross station, a busy route popular with travelers. The alarm was raised around 7:40 p.m., prompting armed officers to swarm Huntingdon station in rural Cambridgeshire, where the train was halted. Counter-terrorism units are supporting the investigation, British Transport Police said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes aboard the train, with one telling The Times newspaper that a man wielding a large knife caused panic, leaving “blood everywhere” as passengers hid in washrooms or fled, sometimes stampeding over others. The witness also reported hearing shouts of “we love you” amid the confusion. After the train stopped, Sky News reported that bystanders saw a man with a knife on the platform before police tasered and restrained him.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack “appalling” and “deeply concerning” in a statement on X. “My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response,” he said, urging anyone in the area to follow police advice.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood confirmed the arrests, while the East of England Ambulance Service said it deployed a “large-scale response” including ambulances, air ambulances and tactical commanders. An AFP photographer at the scene saw people being led away in space blankets as police inspected the train, now a crime scene.
Train operator London North Eastern Railway closed lines in the area, warning of “major disruption” and advising passengers not to travel.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor Paul Bristow described the incident as “horrendous scenes” on X, adding that his “thoughts and prayers” were with those affected.
The identities of the suspects and any motive remained unclear late Saturday.
The attack comes amid rising knife crime in England and Wales, which has increased steadily since 2011, according to government data. Starmer’s Labour government has labeled it a “national crisis” and pledged to halve such incidents within a decade. The interior ministry reported Wednesday that nearly 60,000 blades have been seized or surrendered as part of those efforts, with knife murders dropping 18% in the past year. Carrying a knife in public can carry a penalty of up to four years in prison.
Recent stabbings have heightened concerns: In early October, two people died — one from misdirected police gunfire — in an attack at a Manchester synagogue that rattled the Jewish community. On Thursday, a man appeared in a London court charged with murder after a daylight stabbing that killed one and injured two others.
Britain maintains some of the world’s strictest gun controls, but knives remain a persistent issue in violent crimes. (source: wire agencies)
