Hackney Central stabbing: Man attacked on rush hour Overground train by ‘ballistic’ knifeman
The scene at Hackney Central. Picture: Joe Street - Credit: Archant
A man was stabbed on board a train during rush hour in Hackney Central this evening, as a “ballistic” knifeman went on the rampage.
British Transport Police is investigating the incident, which took place at about 6pm. They are unable to confirm the condition of the victim, who has been taken to hospital.
Andy Bramhall was waiting for a bus on the corner of Amhurst Road when he saw people running down the incline from the Overground station.
“Obviously it’s peak time and there were about 20 or 30 people making a hurried exit, and then this man came down and he had a knife in his hand,” he told the Gazette.
“He was holding the knife in his right hand and it was pointing upwards and outwards from his body.
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“I spoke to a couple of people who were near him on the train, and according to one he had the knife out on the train and people were getting very edgy. When the train arrived people wanted to leave very suddenly.”
As the man crossed Amhurst Road to the bottom of the Narrow Way a police van turned up and “within two seconds” two policemen had disarmed him and put handcuffs on him.
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“The police were spot on,” said Andy.
“They confiscated his knife and put it into a plastic sheath.
“This guy seemed completely ballistic. He was shouting at the top of his voice at the police and any passers-by using obscene language.”
Several more police cars then turned up.
“There was a big police presence there to reassure people, and three police officers ran from a second car up to the station to see if there were any victims,” said Andy.
One passenger, Hazel Orton, posted on Twitter she had seen a “full-on stampede” after a man was attacked on the train as it came into the station, just five feet away from where she was sitting.
“People dropped phones and bags,” she added. “Hope victim is OK.”
The Overground was suspended between Canonbury and Stratford. It has now reopened with severe delays.
Transport police are asking witnesses to get in touch by text on 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, citing reference number 512 of October 2.
