Huntingdon train attack ‘knifeman’ chillingly told me ‘you’re going to die’ before swinging blade at my neck
Stephen said he was attacked whilst he protected other passengers
A PASSENGER who was attacked while protecting others during a mass stabbing on a train, was told by the knifeman “do you want to die?”, he has revealed.
Stephen Crean, 61, a lifelong Nottingham Forest fan, approached the attacker with nothing but his fists as other passengers fled.
Stephen Crean faced the attacker on his rampage through the train carriageCredit: PA
When he confronted the attacker, the knifeman asked him ‘do you want to die?’Credit: PA
The brave fan was stabbed six times by the attackerCredit: PA
Footage allegedly showing a man believed to be Anthony Williams wielding a knife in a barbershop before the Huntingdon train rampage
The courageous fan was returning from watching Nottingham Forest draw 2-2 with Manchester United, when the attack happened.
He told The Telegraph: “All of a sudden the door of the carriage opened, people ran past me and they were shouting: ‘Run, run, run, man’s got knife’.”
“So I let these people run past me, families, women, young lads.
“Finally they had all packed into the buffet car and the toilets and locked the doors, as you do, and so that was it for me.
“He was on a mission. He knew what he wanted to do and he was going to do it.
“All of a sudden, this knife comes out, and I went straight for him. I tried to punch him.
“I was trying to hold his arm, But he caught me on the top of the head.”
Mr Crean said he was stabbed six times before he managed to lock himself in a train bathroom until the armed police arrived on the scene.
The football fan said when he got up from his seat and approached the attacker, protecting people was his motivation.
When he confronted the attacker, the knifeman asked him “do you want to die?” said Mr Crean.
“I was scared but then it went away, you just do whatever, you just go with it,” he added.
This comes as cops charged 32-year-old Anthony Williams with 10 counts of attempted murder after the stabbing rampage on Saturday night.
Multiple passengers were rushed to hospital, including Joshua Gjoshe a footballer for Scunthorpe United.
More than 30 officers, including armed police, raced to Huntingdon station at 7.44pm after the train from Doncaster to Kings Cross made an emergency stop.
The courageous fan was returning from watching Nottingham Forest draw 2-2 with Manchester United, when the attack happenedCredit: BPM
A timeline of the horrific sequence of events
Shocking footage from a barbershop on Friday is circulating on social media
The footage from outside the barbershop
Hero train driver Andrew Johnson, from Peterborough, diverted the train just minutes after being alerted to the stabbing rampage which saved lives.
It has now emerged Williams also faces charges for another count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in relation to an incident on London‘s DLR network in the early hours of Saturday morning.
A victim suffered facial injuries after being attacked with a knife on a DLR train at Pontoon Dock just before 1am, cops said.
Williams was later identified as the suspect said British Transport Police.
Chilling footage has also been released which shows the moment alleged Huntingdon attacker Williams wields a huge knife in a barber shop the day before Saturday’s bloody train horror.
The CCTV video shows the alleged knifeman on Friday evening – less than 24 hours before the train attack.
In the barbershop footage, the man is initially shown outside the business premises wearing a black coat with his hood up in the footage.
He can be seen rubbing his hands together and wiping his face with his sleeve as he looks through the windows.
He is then shown taking a swig from a small vial before he appears to start speaking to himself.
Moments later, he reaches down and appears to grab a huge blade from the ground next to him.
What we know so far:
Moment Knifeman shown swaggering down platform as passengers sprint away
British-born Anthony Williams, 32, charged in connection with train attack
Williams pictured and charged in relation to separate knife incident on DLR train in London
Professional footballer among 11 stabbed in train attack
Chilling moment suspect bursts into barbershop the day before alleged Huntingdon rampage
Police say boy, 14, stabbed in “linked incident” before LNER train attack
Cambridgeshire Police said a knifeman entered a barbers in Fletton at 7.25pm on Friday but was not reported until 9.10pm – and at the time had left the scene so officers were not sent.
A 14-year-old boy was also stabbed by a man in the city centre at 7.10pm on Friday.
The teenager was taken to Peterborough City Hospital with minor injuries and were later discharged.
Then, at 9.25am on Saturday the same barbers reported the man had returned, with officers arriving “within 18 minutes” and after a search couldn’t find him.
Cops have today confirmed all three knife incidents are believed to be linked to the Huntingdon suspect.
Williams will appear at Peterborough Magistrates Court today following the horror in Cambridgeshire.
It comes after The Sun released a dramatic video of a suspect being tasered and then arrested on the train platform.
In a statement, Cambridgeshire Police said on Monday afternoon: “We are aware of three incidents that occurred in Peterborough on Friday evening (31 October) and Saturday morning (1 November).
“The first incident of a man with a knife at a barbers in Fletton happened at 7.25pm on Friday but was reported to us at 9.10pm – two hours after the incident occurred.
“At the time of reporting the man was no longer there and had not returned, so we did not send officers, but a crime was raised.
“The second incident was reported to us at 9.25am on Saturday again by the barbers in Fletton while the man was still at the scene. Officers were deployed to the location and arrived within 18 minutes.
“Upon searching the area, officers were unable to locate the man or identify him and a crime was raised.
“There was also a third incident that police also believe may be linked which also happened on Friday 31 October at 7.10pm, where a 14-year-old was stabbed by a man with a knife in the city centre.
“They were taken to Peterborough City Hospital with minor injuries and were later discharged.
“The offender had left the scene when the call was made and despite a search of the area by officers and a police dog, the offender was not identified.
“A crime was raised and an investigation commenced, with scenes of crime attending.
“We are currently reviewing all incidents in the timeframe to understand whether there were any further potential offences.
“British Transport Police retain primacy for the overall investigation, which will include these three incidents.
“We voluntarily referred ourselves to the IOPC for independent scrutiny of these incidents, as is standard practice in these cases.”
Full Huntingdon horror timeline
Friday, October 31
7.10pm: Friday 31: Boy, 14, is stabbed in Peterborough city centre
7.25pm: ‘Knifeman’ bursts into barbers in Fletton
Saturday, November 1
1am: Separate incident at Pontoon Dock DLR
9.25am: ‘Knifeman’ enters barbers again
6.25pm: Train heading to King’s Cross London departs from Doncaster
7.29pm: Train departs Peterborough station and knife attack begins soon after
7.39pm: Cambridge Police receives distress calls of multiple stabbings onboard a train
7.42pm: British Transport Police records its first call and dispatches officers
7.44pm: Train makes emergency stop at Huntingdon station
7.50pm Within eight minutes of the call to BTP, two suspects are apprehended by armed officers
8.47pm: BTP announce on X that two people were arrested
Sunday, November 2
Police confirm one of those arrested was released with no further action
Monday, November 3
Anthony Williams, 32, charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of bladed article after Huntingdon horror.
Forensic officers working in the train at Huntingdon stationCredit: Reuters
A LNER staff member who tried to stop the attacker remains in critical conditionCredit: AFP
Hero train driver Andrew Johnson, from Peterborough, diverted the London-bound train to Huntingdon station within minutes of being alerted to the stabbingCredit: Unknown
Investigations continued on Sunday nightCredit: Phil Harris
