A 32-year-old British man was the sole suspect accused of a mass stabbing on a train in England after another man arrested in the case was released on Sunday with no charges.
British police said the knife attack that put 11 people in hospital was not a terrorist incident. A 35-year-old man who had been arrested earlier was released after officers concluded he was not involved in the attack.
By late on Sunday, five of the injured had been discharged from hospital. Among those still being treated was a member of the train crew who tried to stop the attacker and was in a life-threatening condition, police said.
“Detectives have reviewed the CCTV from the train and it is clear his actions were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved many people’s lives,” police said.
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE STABBINGS?
Counterterrorism police had helped with the initial investigation after the mass stabbing of passengers on a train in eastern England on Saturday, but police later said there was nothing to suggest the incident was terrorism.
Work was ongoing to establish the events leading up to the attack and the suspect’s background, police said. A knife was recovered from the scene.
“Our investigation is moving at pace and we are confident we are not looking for anyone else in connection to the incident,” said deputy chief constable Stuart Cundy.
Police described the suspect as a black British national from Peterborough, 160km north of London, who had boarded the train there.
ARMED POLICE BOARD TRAIN
The suspect was arrested by armed police after the train made an emergency stop at Huntingdon around 128km north of London.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it an “appalling incident” which was “deeply concerning”, and King Charles said he was “truly appalled and shocked”.
Knife crimes in England and Wales have risen 87% over the past decade, with 54,587 offences last year alone, a 2% rise from 2023 and among the highest rates in Europe, according to figures from Britain’s interior ministry.
Interior minister Shabana Mahmood said she was “deeply saddened” while urging people to avoid speculation about the incident.
The government is keen to stop rumours spreading on social media after an incident in Southport in northwest England in 2024 when internet claims about the murders of three young girls sparked days of rioting across the country.
BLOOD ON CHAIRS
Witness Olly Foster told the BBC he was on the train heading towards London on Saturday night when someone ran past him saying a man was stabbing “everyone, everything”.
“I put my hand on the chair and it’s covered in blood. There’s blood all over the chair. Then I look ahead and there’s blood on all the chairs,” he said.
Another witness told Sky News a suspect was seen waving a large knife before being tasered by police.
Reuters
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