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Armed police rush to two tube stations after reports of Victoria line knife attack
Police arrest man over London Underground attack on Victoria line
(about 1 hour later)
Armed police have swooped on at least two London tube stations in the hunt for a knife attack suspect, prompting alarm among passengers and causing disruption to the service.
Police have arrested a man at Heathrow airport tube station in connection with an attack on a 63-year-old at another London Underground station in the north of the city.
Just before 2pm on Tuesday, officers and medics from the London Ambulance Service responded to reports that a man had suffered cuts to his face and body on the Victoria line platform at Finsbury Park station.
British Transport police launched a hunt across the London Underground on Tuesday afternoon after the blade attack on the Victoria line platform at Finsbury Park. Armed officers had earlier halted the Victoria line service to board and search a carriage at King’s Cross St Pancras.
Officers armed with submachine guns then rushed to the Victoria line platform at King’s Cross St Pancras, where they searched a train arriving from Finsbury Park, two stops away.
The man is due to be questioned by police on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. A pair of scissors was recovered during the arrest.
They briefly detained a teenager who was travelling with his family. Police were overheard saying the mixed-race boy matched a description of an Asian male suspect.
Was blocked from getting on Victoria line at Kings Cross. People looking upset coming up the stairs, police with machine guns going down.
Was blocked from getting on Victoria line at Kings Cross. People looking upset coming up the stairs, police with machine guns going down.
According to reports on Twitter, there was panic as officers clutching automatic weapons raced through the passenger tunnels to the Victoria line platform.
A BTP spokesman said: “A man has been arrested at Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 underground station on suspicion of GBH after a man was assaulted at Finsbury Park underground station earlier today.
Officers searched the train but made no arrests. As the Guardian was arriving, the officers were seen running back towards the station entrance where they cornered the teenager by the ticket barriers.
“BTP detectives will be speaking to the man in due course. The assault occurred on the southbound Victoria line platform shortly before 1.45pm. A 63-year-old man was taken to hospital with cuts to his body and face. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Stood on the platform @ kings cross stn. Armed police. Armed person stand off situation. Very scary.
“Armed BTP officers searching for a possible suspect met a southbound Victoria line train at King’s Cross St Pancras underground station at approximately 3pm.”
It quickly became evident that the boy, who was travelling with his parents and siblings, was not connected with the incident. His mother and father declined to comment as they left the station. Armed police on the scene also refused to comment, beyond saying they were responding to an incident.
A British Transport police spokesman said: “We were called to Finsbury Park underground station at 1.48pm following a report of an injured man. Officers attended the southbound Victoria line platform, alongside colleagues from the London Ambulance Service. A 63-year-old man was taken to hospital with cuts to his body and face.
“Armed BTP officers searching for a possible suspect met a southbound Victoria line train at King’s Cross St Pancras underground station and conducted a search of the train. No arrests have been made at this time. Victoria line services have been disrupted due to this incident.”
A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 1.50pm to Finsbury Park station to reports of an assault. We sent an ambulance crew and a single responder to the scene. We treated the man and he was taken to hospital.”
