Man charged after mass stabbing on London-bound LNER service
A 32-year-old man, Anthony Williams of Peterborough, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder following a mass stabbing on a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service on Saturday evening, British Transport Police (BTP) said. The attack, which occurred shortly after the train left Peterborough station en route to London, left 11 people hospitalised.
What happened
The high-speed LNER service departed Doncaster at 6:25 p.m. local time. The stabbing began soon after the train left Peterborough station. Passengers described scenes of panic, with people running through carriages, barricading themselves in toilets and train seats reportedly soaked in blood.
Passenger Wren Chambers told the BBC she initially heard "screaming and shouting" and then saw a man running down the train "bleeding heavily" from his arm.
Arrests and charges
Armed officers were deployed after Cambridgeshire police received the first emergency call at about 7:39 p.m. The train made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon station, where two initial suspects were detained; one was later released. Williams was remanded in custody following a Monday court appearance in which he was not required to enter pleas. He told the court he had "no fixed abode," according to PA Media. His next hearing is scheduled for 1 December.
In addition to the 10 attempted-murder charges relating to the Cambridgeshire train incident, Williams faces one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article. He is also charged with an additional count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in connection with a separate incident at Pontoon Dock station in London earlier that day.
Other incidents under investigation
Police are investigating three further knife incidents believed to be linked to the suspect that occurred in Peterborough on Friday evening and Saturday morning. One incident in Peterborough city centre left a 14-year-old with minor injuries.
Victims and response
Eleven victims received hospital treatment: 10 were taken by ambulance and one later presented themselves at hospital. As of Tuesday evening, four people remained in hospital, including one in critical but stable condition. BTP said the critically injured man was an LNER employee who intervened to stop the attacker.
LNER identified the employee as Samir Zitouni, 48, a customer experience host with more than two decades’ service. BTP said CCTV shows Zitouni’s actions were "nothing short of heroic" and likely prevented further harm. His family paid tribute, saying they were "immensely proud of Sam and his courage." Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also praised his actions.
Scunthorpe United confirmed one of those hospitalised was player Jonathan Gjoshe, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities have released little other personal information about the victims.
Investigation and official statements
Police initially declared the national codeword "Plato"—used for responses to marauding terrorist attacks—but later rescinded that designation. Investigators say they are probing motive but have found no evidence to suggest the incidents were terror-related. Home Secretary Mahmood said the suspect was not known to security services, counter-terror police or the Home Office's Prevent programme.
Context
The UK rarely experiences mass-casualty events and has relatively low homicide and gun-crime rates compared with many Western countries. However, recorded knife crime has risen since 2011: the Office for National Statistics reported 51,527 knife-crime offences in England and Wales in the 12 months to June 2025, including 15,689 in London.
Next steps
BTP and local police continue to investigate the incidents, review CCTV and interview witnesses. Williams will next appear in court on 1 December. Police have appealed to anyone with information or footage from the train or stations to come forward.
This article reports on charges and alleged actions; charges are not evidence of guilt. The story has been updated as investigations and court proceedings continue.
