In the UK, a knife-wielding attacker told passengers the “devil is not going to win” as he launched a rampage on a high-speed train to London.
A British-born suspect has been questioned by police over the 14-minute stabbing spree, which left 11 people with injuries requiring hospital treatment.
A “brave” train worker remains in a life-threatening condition after attempting to stop the knifeman, while the driver was praised for diverting the service into an emergency stop at Huntingdon station.
Both were hailed heroes for saving the lives of passengers.
Train seats were soaked with blood during the attack as a witness compared the scene to “like something from a film”. Others initially thought it was a Halloween prank.
One passenger, Dayna Arnold, 48, told The Daily Telegraph that she saw the attacker coming at her with the knife.
“I said, ‘please, please don’t’. Then something changed in his eyes and he said, ‘the devil’s not going to win’,” she said.
Although terrorism has been ruled out, police are still working on uncovering a motive for the attacks.
The 32-year-old black British national is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, while a second man, aged 35, was released with no further action.
Police will now flood officers into major stations and trains on the affected East Coast line between Doncaster and London in an effort to reassure the public.
Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, is also expected to make a statement about the attack in the House of Commons.
In an article for the Telegraph, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, called for a “dramatic increase” in stop and search by police to “take far more knives off the street” and a roll-out of live facial recognition cameras in town centres and train stations to help police catch dangerous offenders.
The stabbing attack began just after the train left Peterborough station at 7.30pm on Saturday. Those aboard included dozens of Nottingham Forest fans returning from a match.
Witnesses said people attempting to flee found they ran out of carriages as others barricaded themselves in the toilets.
On Sunday night, an LNER worker was in critical condition in hospital after being filmed trying to stop the attacker on the train’s CCTV.
Another passenger, an older man, intervened to “block” the knifeman from stabbing a younger girl, leaving him with injuries to his head and neck. Others used their clothing to try to stem the bleeding.
After the train stopped at Huntingdon, the attacker, dressed in black, was filmed on CCTV walking down the platform, with a long kitchen knife in his hand.
He was later seen shouting “kill me, kill me” as he was Tasered and wrestled to the ground by armed police officers.
Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to the “exceptional bravery” of staff and passengers on the train as well as the “utmost professionalism” of the emergency services, whose actions he said had “saved lives”.
The King said he was “truly appalled and shocked to hear of the dreadful knife attack”, adding: “Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with all those affected, and their loved ones.”
Government sources said the “surge” in police officers deployed across the rail network will probably be focused on major terminals such as London, Birmingham, York, Leeds and Manchester, as well as on trains East Coast line and in Huntingdon.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy, of BTP, said: “This was a horrific attack that has had a wide impact. My thoughts and those of everyone in British Transport Police are with those injured and their families, especially the brave member of rail staff whose family are being supported by specialist officers.”
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