A “heroic” crew member who was seriously injured in a mass stabbing on a train has been named.
Samir Zitouni, 48, “did not hesitate to protect those around him” during Saturday’s attack, London North Eastern Railway (LNER) said.
Zitouni, known to colleagues as Sam, is still critically ill in hospital after he suffered severe injuries defending other passengers during the rampage.
The driver of the train, Andrew Johnson, a Royal Navy and Iraq war veteran, has also been praised for his quick thinking. The 55-year-old, from Peterborough, diverted the train to Huntingdon station allowing the police and paramedics to board within minutes of the attack beginning.
Speaking to the Telegraph he said: “I just stayed calm, I’m just worried about Sam. He’s stable now.
“He’s the guy that fought him along with the first responders. They’re the heroes.”
Anthony Williams, 32, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after the attack, which took place on an LNER train from Doncaster to London.
Zitouni’s family said: “We have been deeply touched by the outpouring of love and kindness shown to Sam, and by the many well wishes for his recovery.
“The care provided by the hospital and the support from his colleagues at LNER has been incredible. We are immensely proud of Sam and his courage. The police called him a hero on Saturday evening, but to us he’s always been a hero.”
The British Transport Police (BTP) and other witnesses previously described Zitouni’s actions as “nothing short of heroic”.
Eleven people were treated in hospital after the attack. On Monday, five were still receiving treatment, including Zitouni.
The BTP previously confirmed that Zitouni had been one of the first to tackle the attacker.
“Having viewed the CCTV from the train, the actions of the member of rail staff were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved people’s lives,” a BTP spokesman said.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood paid tribute in the Commons to Zitouni’s “breathtaking bravery”.
She told MPs: “On Saturday, he went to work to do his job – today, he is a hero, and forever will be.
“Once the facts are known, we must examine what more might have been done to stop this horrific event from ever occurring, and whether there are measures that we must now take to better protect the public, on our streets and on our trains.”
Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said Zitouni had demonstrated “bravery beyond measure”.
She added: “Sam went to work on Saturday morning to do his job. He left a hero. His remarkable quick thinking and selfless action saved lives and he has demonstrated bravery beyond measure.
“I want to send my very best wishes to him and his family.”
On Monday, a Nottingham Forest supporter told the Telegraph that the suspected Huntingdon train knifeman asked him, “do you want to die?” as he stabbed him six times.
Speaking to the Telegraph at his London home, Stephen Crean, 61, recalled leaving his seat to confront the alleged attacker.
“It was me with him,” Crean said. “He had a great big oversized kitchen knife – it was as if it was a Japanese sword or something. He came towards me and said to me, ‘Do you want to die?’. That’s what he said.
“And then, all of a sudden, this knife comes out, and I went straight for him. I tried to punch him, this and that. I was trying to hold his arm [with his knife]. It kicked off. But he caught me on the top of the head.”
Crean said he was stabbed in his left hand, three times in his back, once on his bottom and twice in his head.
As well as the attacks on the Doncaster to London LNER service, Williams has been charged with slashing a passenger on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in east London and attacking a police officer after his arrest.
The alleged attempted murder at Pontoon Dock station, on the DLR, took place just hours before the mass stabbing.
It has also emerged that Williams is suspected of stabbing a teenage boy and twice brandishing a knife and threatening staff and customers in a barber’s shop in Peterborough the day before the train attack.
The 14-year-old boy was approached by a man as he crossed a narrow footbridge over the River Nene in Peterborough city centre and was stabbed.
Afterwards, the teenager ran from the bridge and fled down a towpath, where he asked for help from staff at Charters Bar, a pub on a riverboat.
He only suffered minor injuries and after being taken to Peterborough City Hospital, was discharged.
Officers were unable to trace the suspect despite a search by officers and a police dog.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary has been asked to review the events before the train stabbing.
After the IOPC decided not to investigate, Darryl Preston, a police and crime commissioner, said he had written to the Chief Constable Simon Megicks.
“The outcome of this review will be reported through my holding to account meetings with the Chief Constable and made publicly available,” Preston said.
“To be clear, the ongoing criminal investigation led by British Transport Police, along with ongoing support for the victims of these abhorrent crimes must be the priority, ensuring justice is served.”
On Tuesday morning, remnants of police tape could still be seen on the bridge, which is in an isolated spot behind an Asda supermarket.
Staff at Charters Bar refused to comment.
The scene is just a 10-minute walk from Ritzy Barbers, where, just minutes after the attack on the bridge, a man matching Williams’ description entered carrying a large kitchen knife.
He has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance.
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