What was expected to be a run-of-the-mill quiet Saturday evening train trip to London became a harrowing scene of blooding chaos as a knife rampage was launched.
Two British-born UK nationals – one black and one of Caribbean descent – are being held on suspicion of attempted murder after the Huntingdon attack, police have said.
The stabbings happened on a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) Doncaster to London King’s Cross train on Saturday evening.
Police revealed on Sunday morning how 11 people were treated in hospital and two remained in a ‘life-threatening condition’, while four had been discharged.
Witnesses have been describing the horrific events which left passengers cowering in toilets for safety – while the carriages were spattered in blood.
Investigators at one point declared Code Plato, a word used by police and emergency services when responding to a ‘marauding terror attack’ – but this declaration was later rescinded, BTP confirmed.
Police on Sunday said there was ‘nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident’.
Two British nationals were being held on suspicion of attempted murder. One has since been released without further action.
Police on the platform by the train at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire after the mass stabbing
Thirty officers rushed to the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service heading from Doncaster to London King’s Cross after it stopped in the Cambridgeshire town
This is the dramatic moment one of the Huntingdon train stabbing suspects is tasered and arrested by armed police
6.25pm: Passengers boarded the train setting off from Doncaster – intended to cover the 160 miles south to London‘s major King’s Cross rail terminal, in a journey scheduled to last less than two hours.
7.32pm: The mass stabbing attacks began just after the train had left Peterborough station.
One passenger, Olly Foster, later told the BBC that when he first heard people shouting, “Run, run, there’s a guy literally stabbing everyone”.
Travellers were seen hiding in train toilets to escape the rampage, after a man with a large knife made his way through a carriage.
7.39pm: Cambridgeshire Police are called, with British Transport Police following at 7.42pm.
Police arrived on the scene after the train came to an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon rail station in Cambridgeshire.
An emergency alarm had been pulled and the train driver brought the Class 800 Azuma to a halt.
7.50pm: Two suspects are apprehended by officers – with video later showing how one was Tasered and wrestled to the ground by police.
Witnesses who were onboard when the Huntingdon train attack unfolded have recalled the terrifying scenes (Pictured: The train still parked on the platform on Sunday morning)
Witnesses described how he was heard shouting: ‘Kill me, kill me, kill me.’
Armed police were also seen running down the platform at the station, trying to safely evacuate passengers and neutralise any ongoing threat.
A passenger told Sky News: ‘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.’
Viorel Turturica, 42, the taxi driver who captured the video footage, said before the man was arrested he was shouting, ‘Kill me, kill me, kill me’ to the officers.
Mr Turturica said: ‘I had arrived at the station pick up point at 7.41pm and was waiting for a passenger.
‘As soon as I see the passenger a few minutes later, I then see everybody running out of the station.
‘Then, 10 seconds later, a man dressed in black holding a huge kitchen knife in his hand runs past my car at 7.47pm.
Police had at one point declared Code Plato, a word used by police and emergency services when responding to a ‘marauding terror attack’. However, this declaration was later rescinded
‘The police arrive seconds later and I could hear him shouting, “Kill me, kill me, kill me” to them.
‘They then taser him and as soon as he is down they say to him, “Drop your weapon” – that’s when I started recording.
‘I didn’t understand the gravity until after I left the area and saw the huge police presence. I was shocked and then I knew it was bad.’
8.47pm: British Transport Police’s X account states: ‘We are currently responding to an incident on a train to Huntingdon where multiple people have been stabbed.’
Saturday night: Forensic officers in white coveralls were seen taking photographs of the scene.
10.03pm: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer posts about the attacks on X, formerly Twitter, saying: ‘The appalling incident on a train near Huntingdon is deeply concerning.
‘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.’
Sunday morning: The train still sat stationary at Huntingdon, as the suspects – a 32-year-old black British national and a 35-year-old British national of Caribbean descent – were questioned in separate police stations.
In the hours after the attack, forensic officers could be seen apparently searching for clues on the track at the side of the train which still had its lights on
Objects lie scattered on the ground at Huntingdon station following the knife rampage
Emergency services remained at the scene, the train having not completed the journey meant to end at King’s Cross.
Officers were positioned around the station and the road directly outside the station’s car park, the A1307, was shut with a number of police vehicles on the road.
10.50am: Superintendent John Loveless told reporters at the scene in Huntingdon: ‘It’s a shocking incident and first and foremost, my thoughts are with the family and friends those who have been affected and those who are injured.
‘Approximately 7.42pm yesterday evening, there were calls to the police service in relation to multiple stabbings which took place on board a train service.
‘The train departed Doncaster at 6.25pm, and was en route to London King’s Cross Station.
‘Officers immediately attended Huntingdon station alongside paramedics, where armed police officers from Cambridgeshire police boarded the train and arrested two people within eight minutes of the 999 call being made.
‘Two men were brought into police custody, where they remain this morning.
‘I can tell you that these are: the first male, a 32-year-old male, a black British national and a 35-year-old man, a British national of Caribbean descent, they were both arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Forensic police officers attend the scene at Huntingdon Station on Sunday morning following the major incident
‘As stated, they remain this morning in separate police stations for questioning.’
10.55am: The King, in a message released by Buckingham Palace, said: ‘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.
‘We are particularly grateful to the emergency services for their response to this awful incident.’