New information on the bloody train attack that shocked Britain. What leads do police have after 10 people were stabbed and two men arrested
QA total of 10 people, nine with life-threatening injuries, were taken to hospital after a series of stabbings on a train near Cambridge in eastern England on Saturday, and two men were arrested as Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced a “horrific incident”, Reuters and Sky News reported. Police are yet to provide more information to avoid speculation. So far, the authorities have not released details about the reason for the attack and who the suspects are.
British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood praised the “exceptional courage of the staff and passengers on the train” and confirmed that the “horrific” attack was not being treated as an act of terrorism, The Guardian writes.
“My heartfelt thanks to British Transport Police, Cambridgeshire Police, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and East of England Ambulance Service. They responded quickly, professionally and saved lives,” she added in a post on X.
Commissioner John Loveless of the Transport Police told a news conference that the incident was “shocking” and that the two suspects who were arrested were British.
“Within eight minutes of the 999 call, two men were apprehended by police,” the commissioner said.
It is about a 32-year-old man, a black British citizen, and a 35-year-old man, a British citizen of Caribbean origin, according to Sky News.
He adds that both were born in Britain and were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Of the nine people considered to have life-threatening injuries, four have been discharged and two remain in critical condition.
He added that “nothing suggests” that it was a terrorist incident.
John Loveless did not take questions from the media.
Police are yet to provide new information
British police are to provide new details on Sunday about the investigation into the knife attack on the train, after which nine people are in critical condition, reports Reuters.
The BBC reported that Transport Police said they would hold a press conference on Sunday morning.
Two men were arrested by police after the train made an emergency stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, east England.
The terror alert level remains unchanged
British Defense Secretary John Healey told Sky News' Sunday Morning that the terror threat level in England remains unchanged despite Saturday night's attack. The official revealed he traveled on a train on the same route just hours before the attack that shocked Britain
A BBC correspondent, reporting from the scene at Huntingdon station near the train being pulled onto the platform, says many of the roads around the station are closed and forensic tents are being set up in the area.
On the station platform are medical supplies used by emergency rescuers and personal belongings of people who hastily left the station.
Mayor of London: The horrific incident is deeply concerning
The knife attack on the train caused a shock wave throughout the UK, writes The Guardian.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, described the attack as a “horrific incident” that was “deeply concerning” and said he was in “close contact” with the Metropolitan Police to ensure “all necessary support is provided”.
Conservative MP for Huntingdon, Ben Obese-Jecty, told Sky News he was at the scene of the attack on Saturday night and “the police response was unbelievable”. The police chief told him officers had been training for a similar emergency “just last week.”
It's 7:30am in England and The Guardian writes that they are waiting for an update from the British Transport Police on the attack which happened around 12 hours ago.
What eyewitnesses say about the UK train attack and what the opposition is demanding
One witness thought it was a Halloween prank. “Blood Everywhere”
People present at the scene of the knife attack on the train described some horrific details, The Guardian writes.
Olly Foster told the BBC that he initially heard people shouting “run, run, there's a guy stabbing everybody” and thought it might be a Halloween prank.
'They were stabbing everyone'
Olly Foster was on a train where ten people were stabbed – leaving nine with life threatening injuries – before police arrested two men when it stopped at Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire https://t.co/CvnJrhpbGb pic.twitter.com/5CnRPggQl9
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) November 2, 2025
Foster said people began to crowd into the carriage and he noticed his hand was “covered in blood” as “blood was all over the seat” he had been leaning on.
An older man “blocked” the attacker from stabbing a younger girl, injuring him in the head and neck, the witness said, adding that other passengers used their clothes to try to stop the bleeding.
He said the incident “seemed to last forever”.
The anti-terrorist police, involved in the investigation
Authorities announced that counter-terrorism police have been involved in the investigation, while work is underway to establish the full circumstances and motivation of the incident.
“We are carrying out urgent inquiries to establish what has happened and it may be some time before we are able to confirm anything further,” British Transport Police chief Chris Casey said.
“At this early stage, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident.” Cambridgeshire Police said they were called at 19:39 local time after reports that several people had been stabbed on the train traveling from Doncaster in northern England to London King's Cross.
The train stopped at Huntingdon and videos on social media showed armed officers boarding the train. “Armed officers intervened and the train was stopped at Huntingdon where two men were arrested,” police said.
An eyewitness told Sky News that one of the suspects, who was threatening a large knife, was restrained with a stun gun by police.
Witnesses told British television that the attack began about 10 minutes after the train left Peterborough and passengers raised the emergency alarm.
Some witnesses also reported people stepping on each other's feet trying to escape, and others hiding in toilets to escape.
The East of England Ambulance Service said it mobilized a large-scale response to Huntingdon station, which included numerous ambulances and critical care teams, including three air ambulances.
Starmer posted on X that the incident was “extremely concerning”.
“My thoughts are with all those affected and I thank the emergency services for their response,” the British prime minister said.
