Eleven injured in UK train stabbing; police hold 32-year-old man as suspect
British Transport Police have confirmed that a 32-year-old man from Peterborough is the only suspect in a mass stabbing aboard an LNER train travelling from Doncaster to London King’s Cross. A rail worker remains in critical condition after attempting to stop the attacker.
- A 32-year-old man from Peterborough is the sole suspect in a stabbing attack on an LNER train.
- An LNER staff member remains in critical condition after intervening to stop the attacker.
- Police praised the “heroic” actions of rail staff, with unions and the King issuing statements of support.
UNITED KINGDOM: A 32-year-old man from Peterborough has been identified as the sole suspect in a mass stabbing aboard a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train travelling from Doncaster to London King’s Cross on 1 November 2025, British Transport Police (BTP) have confirmed.
The incident, declared a major event, occurred shortly before 20:00 GMT when the train made an emergency stop at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire.
Eleven people were injured, including an LNER staff member who sustained life-threatening wounds after confronting the attacker.
BTP said the staff member’s actions “undoubtedly saved people’s lives”.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy described the intervention as “nothing short of heroic”, confirming that the worker’s family is being supported by specialist officers.
Police said the suspect boarded the 18:25 service from Peterborough to London and launched a knife attack approximately 14 minutes after departure. Witnesses reported scenes of chaos as passengers sought refuge in adjoining carriages.
Footage recorded by a bystander showed the man wielding a large knife before being subdued with a Taser by officers at Huntingdon station. He was heard shouting “Kill me, kill me” as police confronted him.
A second man, aged 35, who was initially arrested in good faith, has been released without charge after investigators established he was not involved.
Officers recovered a knife at the scene and confirmed that there was no evidence to suggest the attack was linked to terrorism.
Five of the eleven people treated in hospital have since been discharged.
According to BTP, the staff member who attempted to stop the assailant was recorded on CCTV rushing to protect passengers during the attack.
The driver, identified as Andrew Johnson, a Royal Navy and Iraq war veteran, was commended for his decisive actions in bringing the train safely to a halt at Huntingdon station.
Nigel Roebuck, the north-east organiser for the train drivers’ union Aslef and lead officer for LNER, said Johnson “did everything he was trained to do, at the right time and in the right way”. He added that the driver showed “real courage, dedication, and determination in the most difficult of circumstances”.
Unions have since called for urgent reviews of railway safety. The RMT’s general secretary, Eddie Dempsey, said the union would be seeking meetings with government and police “to ensure that we have the strongest possible support, resources, and robust procedures in place”.
Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA, urged LNER and the government “to act swiftly to review security, to support affected workers, and to ensure nothing like this happens again”.
In a statement issued on 2 November, King Charles and Queen Camilla expressed their “shock and deep sympathy” following the attack.
“Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with all those affected, and their loved ones,” the statement read, adding gratitude to emergency services for their rapid response.
Police have appealed for anyone with information or footage from the incident to come forward as the investigation continues. The suspect remains in custody as forensic teams and investigators examine the train and surrounding area.
