HUNTINGDON, England (BN24) — Two men were arrested by armed police Saturday evening after multiple people were stabbed on a train traveling through Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, prompting a massive emergency response and bringing rail services to a standstill across a major transportation corridor.
British Transport Police responded to the incident on a London North Eastern Railway train bound for Huntingdon after receiving emergency calls at 7:39 p.m. GMT. Armed officers stopped the train at Huntingdon station, located approximately 50 miles north of London, where they arrested two suspects.
More than 30 officers were deployed to the scene as part of what authorities described as a large-scale emergency response. Cambridgeshire Police confirmed that a number of people have been transported to hospitals, though authorities have not released specific details about the total number of victims or the severity of their injuries.
The East of England Ambulance Service mobilized extensive resources to respond to the emergency, according to a spokesperson for the service. The response included numerous ambulances, tactical commanders, the Hazardous Area Response Team and critical care teams from both the East Anglian Air Ambulance and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance.
“We can confirm we have transported multiple patients to hospital,” the ambulance service stated, directing further inquiries to British Transport Police.
Witnesses aboard the train provided harrowing accounts of the attack, which reportedly began approximately 10 minutes after the Doncaster to King’s Cross service departed from Peterborough. Passengers activated the emergency alarm as the violence unfolded.
A passenger who identified himself as Gavin told Sky News he witnessed someone moving through his carriage warning others about the attack. “They’ve got a knife, I’ve been stabbed,” the injured person said, according to Gavin’s account. “They were making their way through the carriage to get away from the suspects. They were extremely bloodied.”
Gavin described how the victim had collapsed on the floor by the time the train reached the station and was immediately taken to an ambulance. He said passengers were evacuated from the train and saw multiple stabbing victims making their way down the platform.
In a particularly alarming detail, Gavin reported that one of the suspects had also exited the train and was “running rampant” while “waving a large knife” before armed officers subdued him with a taser.
Video footage shared on social media, apparently filmed from a railway bridge, showed a substantial police presence with armed officers running along the platform toward the train carriages.
The incident has caused major transportation disruptions across the East Coast Mainline. LNER issued urgent warnings to passengers, stating on social media that emergency services are dealing with the incident at Huntingdon station and all lines are blocked. The railway operator advised passengers not to travel and to defer their journeys where possible, with major disruption expected to continue through the end of the day.
Cambridgeshire Police closed the A1307 road on the approach to the town center as the incident remained ongoing Saturday evening.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer characterized the violence as an “appalling incident” that is “deeply concerning.” In a statement posted on social media, Starmer said his thoughts are with all those affected and thanked emergency services for their response. He urged anyone in the area to follow police advice.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “deeply saddened” by the incident and cautioned the public to “avoid comment and speculation at this early stage.” Mahmood confirmed she is receiving regular updates on the investigation and noted that two suspects have been immediately arrested and taken into custody.
Ben Obese-Jecty, the member of Parliament representing Huntingdon, said he was aware of the incident and working to establish further information. “My thoughts are with the victims and those involved,” he wrote on social media.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp described the scenes as “horrific” and characterized the incident as “what seems to be a brutal mass attack by two perpetrators.” Philp called on police and government officials to provide updates on what happened and who has been arrested as soon as possible. His thoughts, he said, are with all those injured or affected and the emergency services responding to the crisis.
Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake also weighed in, describing the scenes as “horrifying” and expressing support for victims and emergency responders.
Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, said he was “deeply concerned” to hear reports of the stabbings. “The thoughts of everyone at RMT are with the victims, train crew and all the emergency services dealing with this unfolding incident,” Dempsey stated.
Paul Bristow, mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, referenced “horrendous scenes” in a social media post, confirming that Cambridgeshire Police were at the scene and two people had been arrested.
Huntingdon is part of the East of England region in Cambridgeshire, which also includes the areas of Cambridge and Peterborough. The investigation into the stabbing incident remains ongoing.
