Police say their investigation is running “at pace” after a multiple stabbing on a train between Doncaster and London left 11 people injured on Saturday. But there remain unanswered questions. Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed article following the incident, police said this morning. Another man was arrested at the scene but later released.
A railway worker who showed “incredible bravery” to save lives during the attack is in a critical but stable condition in hospital, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said earlier today. The “hero” London North Eastern Railway (LNER) staff member, who has not been named, was injured while trying to protect passengers. Eleven people were injured, and harrowing stories have emerged of passengers fearing for their lives. Dayna Arnold, 48, told the Mirror: “I fell down and I just said, ‘Please don’t kill me.’ Something shifted in his face and he just carried on. He said, ‘The devil is not going to win.’”
Police are understood to be investigating all circumstances, including whether mental health was a factor but it is not believed to have been a terrorist incident, PA reports.
Ms Alexander said the suspect was not known to counter-terrorism police or MI5 but would not say if he had contact with mental health services.
She told Times Radio: “I’m not going to speculate about his motivations or the events that led up to the incident.”
The Cabinet member added: “What I can tell you is that he was not known to counter-terrorism police, he was not known to the security services, and he was not known to the Prevent programme.”
Asked if the suspect was known to mental health services, she said: “I’m not in a position to share any more information about the individual, I’m afraid.”
Ms Alexander said the suspect was not known to counter-terrorism police nor MI5 but would not confirm if he had contact with mental health services.
She told Times Radio: “I’m not going to speculate about his motivations or the events that led up to the incident.”
She added: “What I can tell you is that he was not known to counter-terrorism police, he was not known to the security services, and he was not known to the Prevent programme.”
It has been reported that the suspect carried a “large knife” onto the train.
There are of course currently no security checks at railway stations, so officials are limited as regards what they could do to ensure a similar incident does not occur.
For now, passengers have been issued advice as to what to do during an attack in carriages.
Ex-Met Police Negotiator John Sutherland wrote in the Express that the first thing you should do is run.
He wrote: “Your first act must be to run – and to insist that others do the same. Running is an act of wisdom, not cowardice.
“The worst possible thing would be to become another casualty or hostage – not least because that would make the task of the responding emergency services harder than it already is.”
Then you must hide, Mr Sutherland said.
He suggested trying to secure yourself and others in a locked toilet, and use luggage as barricades and to slow the progress of attackers.
“As a last resort, use hard-shelled suitcases as a form of defence,” he added.
Thirdly, once it is safe to do so, call 999.
