UK train attack leaves people fighting for their lives

By Sophie Tanno, CNN

(CNN) — Britain was shocked by a mass stabbing attack on a train Saturday evening, targeting passengers as they traveled through central England on their way to London in an incident Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described as “deeply concerning.”

Nine people were left with life-threatening injuries, two of whom were still fighting for their lives in hospital on Sunday, as the British Transport Police declared a “major incident.”

Two suspected attackers were detained within minutes of police receiving their first emergency call, as the train made an emergency stop at Huntingdon station.

Authorities have now confirmed they are two British-born males in their 30s. Police are working to determine a motive but say there is no evidence to suggest the attack is terror-related.

Here’s what we know about the stabbing attack.

What happened?

The high-speed London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train departed from the northern city of Doncaster at 6.25 p.m. local time on Saturday evening, bound for London.

The train had just left Peterborough station in Cambridgeshire when the attack took place.

Passenger Wren Chambers told the BBC she initially “heard some screaming and shouting” coming from a carriage or two down, before a man ran down the train with a “very clear wound,” bleeding heavily from his arm.

People fled through the carriages seeking safety, with some attempting to barricade themselves in the train’s toilets, said other witnesses who saw train seats soaked in blood.

Police received their first emergency call at approximately 7.42 p.m. local time and immediately deployed armed officers. Within eight minutes of the first emergency call, the two suspects were arrested after the train made an unplanned, emergency stop at Huntingdon station.

Armed police officers were seen running down the platform at the station, evacuating passengers while looking to neutralise any ongoing threat, British news agency PA Media reported.

One eyewitness, who gave his name as Gavin, described one of the 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 told Sky News.

The trauma-stricken train remained at Huntingdon station Sunday morning, with medical equipment and other debris seen strewn on the platform.

Who are the victims?

A total of 11 victims received treatment in hospital. 10 people were taken to the hospital by ambulance, nine of whom were in life-threatening condition, while another person later self-presented that evening.

As of Sunday morning, two people remained fighting for their lives, British Transport Police Superintendent John Loveless told reporters.

Little other information has been given at this stage about the victims, including their ages.

Eyewitnesses have reported seeing people with stab wounds and heavy bleeding.

Who is behind the attack?

Two suspects were arrested on Saturday evening, on suspicion of attempted murder. In an update on Sunday, police revealed both are British nationals in their 30s.

One is a 32-year-old, Black British national, while the other is a 35-year-old British national of Caribbean descent, according to Superintendent Loveless.

Both were born in the UK, he added. They remained in separate police stations for questioning on Sunday morning.

Police are still working to establish a motive, but say there is no indication it was terror-related. “At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that this is a terrorist incident,” Loveless said. “At this stage, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the cause of this incident.”

British defense secretary John Healey described the incident as an “isolated attack” in a Sky News interview.

BTP had initially declared “Plato” – the national codeword when responding to a “marauding terrorist attack” – before later rescinding it.

How common are such attacks in the UK?

The UK rarely sees mass casualty events and homicide rates are low compared to other Western nations.

Gun crime is particularly low, with the country recording 5,103 offenses involving firearms over this past year, according to government statistics.

In comparison knife crime has risen overall since 2011. Some 51,527 knife crime offences were recorded by forces in England and Wales in the previous 12 months up until June 2025, according to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Of those, 15,689 were recorded in London.

British politicians and other key figures expressed their shock at Saturday’s attack and offered 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 said she was “deeply saddened to hear about the stabbings,” and that her “thoughts go out to all those affected.”

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, King Charles 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,” 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 traveling – is one of the UK’s busiest and most important railway routes. It connects major cities, running from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverly in Scotland.

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