Hackney Central stabbing: Commuters flee in horror after man knifed on London Overground train.
ONE man has been injured in a “serious stabbing” on a packed commuter train in East London, police say.
The knifeman was arrested after the stabbing on a London Overground train at Hackney Central station, about 6pm local time (2am AEST).
The Sun reports panicked commuters sparked a mini-stampede during the rush-hour incident.
One witness, Leon Bruff, said he was in the same carriage as the knifeman. He claimed passengers “trampled over each other” to escape.
Mr Bruff told The Sun the knifeman yelled: “Don’t mess with me, I’ll kill you.”
Another witness, Nick Renaud-Komiya, told The Guardian: “I saw loads of people running towards me, and a woman said: ‘There is a guy with a knife’ and that he had stabbed someone on the train.”
He said he saw the knifeman going towards the walkway.
“He had the knife in his hand. The police came within a minute-and-a-half. They grabbed him and he was shouting (but) I couldn’t make anything out.”
More witnesses took to Twitter, writing about the shock they’d just experienced.
“Total panic on a moving train with people charging down the carriage. I cannot explain the feeling of being trapped on a train, with no idea of how the things went from calm to total horror,” Twitter user Lili wrote.
“Full stampede on the train after a man was attacked … 5 feet away from where I was sitting, people dropped phones and bags, hope victim is OK,” A woman named Hazel also wrote.
Police said they were appealing for information about the attack, they said the victim’s injuries were not thought to be life threatening.
The train was evacuated at Hackney Central.
“Just after 6pm, BTP officers, along with colleagues from the Metropolitan police service, were called to a report of a man having being stabbed at Hackney Central Overground Station,” a police statement said.
#hackneycentral i was on the overground train home when a man pulled out his knife .Total panic on a moving train with people charging down the carriage. I cannot explain the feeling of being trapped on a train,with no idea of how the things went from calm to total horror. pic.twitter.com/p4hWLjW5qh
— Lili (@Laekkersild) October 2, 2018
“The London Ambulance Service has taken the victim to hospital, where he is being treated for his injuries. A man has been arrested.
“Police are asking that anyone who was at Hackney Central Overground station and saw anything suspicious to please get in touch.”
London Overground has since confirmed that services had resumed but advised commuters to expect delays.
