Cambridgeshire Police are facing serious questions after it emerged that the suspect in yesterday's bloody knife rampage at Huntingdon railway station had been reported for a similar violent attack just one month earlier.
Shockingly, the previous investigation into the suspect slashing a man across the face was closed after just 48 hours, despite the severity of the alleged assault and clear identification of the perpetrator.
A Pattern of Violence Ignored
The earlier incident, which occurred weeks before yesterday's terrifying station attack, saw the same suspect allegedly wield a blade against another victim in a disturbing preview of the violence to come.
According to sources close to the investigation, police received a detailed report including text message evidence that clearly identified the attacker. Yet despite this compelling information, the case was marked as closed within two days without any arrest being made.
Yesterday's Bloody Chaos
The Huntingdon railway station descended into chaos during Wednesday evening's rush hour when the suspect, now in police custody, allegedly went on a knife-wielding spree that left multiple people injured.
Panicked commuters fled in terror as the violent outburst unfolded on the platform, with witnesses describing scenes of "absolute horror" as the attacker moved through the station armed with a large blade.
Critical Questions for Police
This revelation raises urgent questions about whether yesterday's attack could have been prevented had the earlier investigation been pursued more vigorously.
"This is exactly the kind of case that should have set alarm bells ringing," said a former senior police officer who wished to remain anonymous. "When you have a clear suspect in a violent blade attack, closing the case after two days without proper investigation is difficult to justify."
Cambridgeshire Police have confirmed they've reopened the earlier case and are conducting an internal review of their handling of the initial report.
The police force now faces mounting pressure to explain why such a serious violent crime report was closed so quickly, and what changes will be implemented to prevent similar oversights in the future.
