Britain was shocked by a mass stabbing attack on a train Saturday night, focusing on passengers as they traveled by way of central England on their method to London in an incident Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described as “deeply concerning.”
Nine people had been left with life-threatening accidents, two of whom had been nonetheless fighting for their lives in hospital on Sunday, because the British Transport Police declared a “major incident.”
Two suspected attackers had been detained inside minutes of police receiving their first emergency name, because the train made an emergency cease at Huntingdon station.
Authorities have now confirmed they’re two British-born males in their 30s. Police are working to find out a motive however say there isn’t any proof to recommend the attack is terror-related.
Here’s what we know concerning the stabbing attack.
The high-speed London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train departed from the northern metropolis of Doncaster at 6.25 p.m. native time on Saturday night, certain for London.
The train had simply left Peterborough station in Cambridgeshire when the attack befell.
Passenger Wren Chambers advised the BBC she initially “heard some screaming and shouting” coming from a carriage or two down, earlier than a person ran down the train with a “very clear wound,” bleeding closely from his arm.
After seeing extra people working previous, Chambers grabbed her bag and coat. “I got up and moved forward down the train after them, trying to get (as) far down the train as they can.”
People fled by way of the carriages looking for security, with some trying to barricade themselves within the train’s bogs, stated different witnesses who noticed train seats soaked in blood.
Police obtained their first emergency name at roughly 7.42 p.m. native time and instantly deployed armed officers. Within eight minutes of the primary emergency name, the two suspects had been arrested after the train made an unplanned, emergency cease at Huntingdon station.
Armed law enforcement officials had been seen working down the platform on the station, evacuating passengers whereas seeking to neutralise any ongoing menace, British information company PA Media reported.
One eyewitness, who gave his title as Gavin, described one of many suspects being struck down by a police Taser. “Essentially, as they got closer to him, started shouting, like, ‘get down get down’… I think it was a Taser that got him down in the end,” he advised Sky News.
The trauma-stricken train remained at Huntingdon station Sunday morning, with medical tools and different particles seen strewn on the platform.
A complete of 11 victims obtained therapy in hospital. 10 people had been taken to the hospital by ambulance, 9 of whom had been in life-threatening situation, whereas one other individual later self-presented that night.
As of Sunday morning, two people remained fighting for their lives, British Transport Police Superintendent John Loveless advised reporters.
Little different info has been given at this stage concerning the victims, together with their ages.
Eyewitnesses have reported seeing people with stab wounds and heavy bleeding.
Two suspects had been arrested on Saturday night, on suspicion of tried homicide. In an replace on Sunday, police revealed each are British nationals in their 30s.
One is a 32-year-old, Black British nationwide, whereas the opposite is a 35-year-old British nationwide of Caribbean descent, in line with Superintendent Loveless.
Both had been born within the UK, he added. They remained in separate police stations for questioning on Sunday morning.
Police are nonetheless working to ascertain a motive, however say there isn’t any indication it was terror-related. “At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that this is a terrorist incident,” Loveless stated. “At this stage, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the cause of this incident.”
British protection secretary John Healey described the incident as an “isolated attack” in a Sky News interview.
BTP had initially declared “Plato” – the nationwide codeword when responding to a “marauding terrorist attack” – earlier than later rescinding it.
The UK hardly ever sees mass casualty occasions and murder charges are low in comparison with different Western nations.
Gun crime is especially low, with the nation recording 5,103 offenses involving firearms over this previous yr, in line with authorities statistics.
In comparability knife crime has risen total since 2011. Some 51,527 knife crime offences had been recorded by forces in England and Wales within the earlier 12 months up till June 2025, in line with knowledge from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Of these, 15,689 had been recorded in London.
British politicians and different key figures expressed their shock at Saturday’s attack and provided their condolences to victims.
“My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response. Anyone in the area should follow the advice of the police,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on X.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated she was “deeply saddened to hear about the stabbings,” and that her “thoughts go out to all those affected.”
In an announcement launched by Buckingham Palace, King Charles stated, “My wife and I were truly appalled and shocked to hear of the dreadful knife attack that took place on board a train in Cambridgeshire last night.”
“Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with all those affected, and their loved ones,” he added.
“We are particularly grateful to the emergency services for their response to this awful incident.”
The East Coast Main Line – on which the train was touring – is without doubt one of the UK’s busiest and most necessary railway routes. It connects main cities, working from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverly in Scotland.