Ten people were hospitalized following a mass stabbing attack on a London bound train in eastern England on Saturday evening, with authorities arresting two British nationals at the scene. Police have stated there is no indication the incident was terrorism related.
British Transport Police (BTP) Superintendent John Loveless confirmed that a 32 year old Black British national and a 35 year old British national of Caribbean descent were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Both suspects were born in the United Kingdom and remain in police custody for questioning. The arrests took place within eight minutes of the first emergency call being received.
The incident occurred at 7:42 pm on the 6:25 pm train service from Doncaster to London King’s Cross. The train made an unplanned emergency stop at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire, approximately 77 miles north of London, where armed officers boarded and made the arrests.
While nine people were initially believed to have life threatening injuries, following assessment and treatment, four have been discharged and two patients remain in a life threatening condition. An eleventh person self presented at hospital later that evening, according to police updates provided Sunday morning.
Passenger Olly Foster told the Daily Mail that a young girl was distraught as the attacker tried to stab her, but a hero of an older man got in the way taking a gash on his forehead and another on his neck. Foster initially thought the chaos might have been a Halloween prank when he heard people shouting to run, but quickly realized the severity when he noticed blood on his hand from a chair he had leaned on.
Wren Chambers, another passenger on the train, told the BBC she heard some screaming and shouting coming from a carriage or two down. A minute or so later a man was running down with a very clear wound, bleeding quite badly on his arm. She also initially thought it was a Halloween prank until the man shouted that someone had a knife.
The East of England Ambulance Service sent numerous ambulances, tactical commanders, a Hazardous Area Response Team, and critical care teams from several regional jurisdictions. Emergency services, including air ambulances, responded rapidly to the scene. Video footage shared on social media showed bloodied individuals rushing out of Huntingdon station and dozens of police and emergency vehicles with flashing blue lights gathered outside.
At this stage there is nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident, Loveless stated during a briefing at the scene Sunday morning. However, Counter Terrorism Policing units are supporting the investigation as authorities work to establish the full circumstances and motivation for the attack. Police initially used the term Plato, the UK’s national code for an expected aggressive terror attack, although the term has now been withdrawn.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the violence appalling and deeply concerning, thanking emergency services for their response. King Charles III stated that he and his wife were truly appalled and shocked to hear of the dreadful knife attack. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urged people to avoid comment and speculation at this early stage while receiving regular updates on the investigation.
British Defence Secretary John Healey told Sky News that the nation’s threat level is unchanged at substantial, which means a future terror attack is considered likely. He characterized the incident as an isolated attack with no apparent wider threat to the public.
Forensic teams worked through the night at Huntingdon station, with the train remaining on the platform for evidence collection. A large police presence remained at the station Sunday morning, with many roads closed around the area and forensic tents visible in the car park.
London North Eastern Railway (LNER), which operates the route, confirmed the incident happened on one of its trains and advised customers to check before traveling as there may be cancellations or alterations to service. The station remained closed initially but trains began passing through from Sunday morning, with a high visibility presence of police officers at stations and on trains throughout the day to reassure the public.
Knife crime in England and Wales has been steadily rising since 2011, according to official government data. Starmer has previously branded knife crime a national crisis. Nearly 60,000 blades have been either seized or surrendered in England and Wales as part of government efforts to halve knife crime within a decade, the Home Office said on Wednesday.
The number of offences involving a knife across England and Wales has risen overall since 2011, though it is 4.5 percent lower over the past year than in 2019/20. Data from the National Health Service in England shows there were 3,500 cases recorded in hospitals in 2024/25 due to assault by a sharp object, a 10.4 percent decrease compared to the previous year.
The investigation into the stabbings continues, with BTP stating they are working to discover the full circumstances behind what Chief Superintendent Chris Casey described as a shocking incident.
