At least 10 people were injured after a series of stabbings on a London-bound train on Saturday, and two men were arrested when the train made a stop at Huntingdon station as police officers rushed to the scene. Of the 10 injured, nine are believed to have “life-threatening injuries” in an incident described as “appalling” by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Cambridgeshire Police said in a statement, “A number of people have been taken to hospital.” Several armed officers and a fleet of ambulances arrived at Huntingdon station after receiving the alert and stopping the train.
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‘Blood everywhere’: Witnesses recount mass stabbing
One witness told The Times newspaper that they saw a man with a large knife and described the situation as “blood everywhere” while people hid in the washrooms.
Another witness told Sky News that they saw a man holding a large knife on the platform before he was tasered and restrained by police.
Some passengers were also “stamped on” by others as they tried to flee, while others were heard shouting “we love you.”
Another eyewitness, speaking to the BBC, said passengers were left in “pure panic” as injured victims called for help. He told the British broadcaster that people were heard shouting, “Run, run, there’s a guy literally stabbing everyone,” but he initially thought it was a Halloween prank. However, people soon began pushing each other, and the witness, Olly Foster, saw his hand “covered in blood.”
He also said that an older man tried to “block” the attacker from injuring a little girl, leaving him with a deep cut on his head and neck.
British Transport Police on the incident
In a statement, the British Transport Police said, “This has been declared a major incident, and Counter Terrorism Policing are supporting our investigation whilst we work to establish the full circumstances and motivation for this incident.”
It added that “Plato,” the national code word used when responding to a “marauding terror attack,” was invoked. Although this was later rescinded, the motive for the attack has not yet been revealed.
