London train stabbing: ‘Heroic’ rail employee saves lives; suspect charged with attempted murder

A train employee critically injured while protecting passengers during a mass stabbing on a London-bound train is being hailed as a hero, as police charged a 32-year-old man with multiple counts of attempted murder over the weekend attack that left 11 people wounded.

‘He went to work a hero’

Government ministers and police have praised the bravery of the train employee, who intervened as the attacker began stabbing passengers on Saturday evening.

“He went in to do his job and he left work a hero. And there are people who are alive today because of his actions and his bravery,” said Transport Minister Heidi Alexander.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told Parliament, “On Saturday he went to work to do his job. Today he is a hero and forever will be.”

Chief Investigator Stuart Cundy said CCTV footage showed the worker’s “nothing short of heroic” efforts, adding that his actions “undoubtedly saved people’s lives.”

The staff member remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Suspect charged in multiple knife attacks

Police identified the suspect as Anthony Williams, 32, of Peterborough, who faces 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm, and one of possession of a bladed article over the train stabbing.

Williams is also charged with attempted murder over a separate knife attack hours earlier at Pontoon Dock light rail station in London, where a victim “suffered facial injuries after being attacked with a knife,” according to prosecutors.

Investigators are probing whether Williams was involved in three other knife-related incidents in Peterborough on Friday and Saturday — including one where a 14-year-old boy was stabbed.

Police said the attacks are not being treated as terror-related, and Williams is the only suspect in custody. A second man detained earlier was released without charge.

Panic and heroism

The attack unfolded on a London-bound train from Doncaster, shortly after it departed Peterborough around 7:40 p.m. on Saturday.

Witnesses described scenes of terror and confusion as passengers ran through carriages to escape the knife-wielding assailant.

“He asked me, ‘Do you want to die?’” recalled Stephen Crean, 61, who was slashed across his hands, arms, and back while trying to fend off the attacker. “Then I remember his knife going into my arm.”

The train’s driver, Andrew Johnson, a Royal Navy veteran, was commended for his swift action in diverting the train to make an emergency stop at Huntingdon, enabling passengers to flee and police to intervene.

“I’d like to pay tribute to my colleagues’ bravery,” Johnson said. “They are the real heroes.”

Victims

In total, 11 people were hospitalized, with four still under care for non-life-threatening injuries.

Among the injured was Jonathan Gjoshe, a defender for Scunthorpe United Football Club, who is being treated for moderate wounds.

Authorities have increased armed patrols across the rail network to reassure the public, emphasizing that the incident was isolated and that Britain’s rail system remains “among the safest forms of transport in the world.”

Williams appeared briefly in Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday, wearing a gray prison tracksuit and handcuffs. He was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on December 1.