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MANCHESTER, U.K. – In a shocking New Year’s Eve attack that left three people injured, a knife-wielding man went on a stabbing rampage at a Manchester railway station.

In the attack, which occurred at around 8.52 pm (20.50 GMT) on Monday, the suspect armed with a kitchen knife stabbed people at random, leaving three people with serious injuries.

The Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that attack on Monday night, hours before the New Year’s Eve and said that a man, a woman and a police officer were being treated for knife injuries.

While advising commuters – mostly excited NYE revellers – after the attack, the Manchester Metrolink said that services to the station were experiencing “minor delays,” but were operating “to the normal pattern.”

The GMP said in a statement, “Officers are attending Manchester Victoria station following reports of a man wielding a knife. We received the call at 8.52pm on Monday, 31 December. A man has been detained and two members of the public, a man and a woman have been taken to hospital with knife injuries. A BTP officer is also receiving treatment for a stab wound to the shoulder. British Transport Police remain at the scene along with colleagues from Greater Manchester Police and the North West Ambulance Service.”

Critical incident declared

Following the attack, a BBC radio producer Sam Clack was quoted in reports as allegedly hearing the suspect shouting ‘Allah’ before and during the attack, along with a slogan criticizing Western governments.

Clack told investigators that the attacker said, “As long as you keep bombing other countries this sort of shit is going to keep happening.” 

Addressing a press briefing at the force HQ on Tuesday morning, GMP said that the investigation into the multiple stabbings was being led by the country’s counter-terrorism police.

According to the Greater Manchester Police, it had declared the attack a “critical incident,” and pointed out that people would be worried but there was “no intelligence to suggest that there is any wider threat at this time.”

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins told reporters, “Last night we experienced a horrific attack on people out to simply enjoy the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Manchester. My thoughts are with the couple who are still being treated in hospital for their serious injuries and with the brave British Transport Police officer who was also stabbed during the attack.”

Hopkins also confirmed that the three victims, who were rushed to a nearby hospital, had suffered “serious but not life-threatening injuries.”

Investigators said that a man in his 50s had suffered injuries to his stomach, while a woman, who is also in her 50s, had suffered injuries to her face and stomach. 

A male police officer in his 30s, had sustained an injury to his shoulder.

‘Frenzied attack’

The police said that a 25-year-old male suspect has been detained on suspicion of attempted murder.

Further, GMP Assistant Chief Constable, Russ Jackson revealed that the suspect lived in the Cheetham Hill area of the city.

Jackson said that officers were carrying out a search at his address and noted, “There is wide reporting in the press about what the attacker allegedly said during the incident and because of this we want to be clear, we are treating this as a terrorism investigation.”

The officer added that investigators are nevertheless also “retaining an open mind in relation to the motivation for this attack”, he said there was no information “to suggest at this time others are involved.”

Jackson said that the police were still trying to establish whether the suspect is a British national, and that “given how frenzied the attack was,” they are also “obviously considering his mental health.”

He said that two knives have been recovered from the scene of the attack. 

However, Jackson clarified that investigators are still trying to ascertain if both the knives were used in the attack.

In a tweet on the incident on Tuesday morning, the U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May wrote, “My thoughts are with those who were injured in the suspected terrorist attack in Manchester last night. I thank the emergency services for their courageous response.”

Meanwhile, the Home Secretary Sajid Javid too condemned the attack.

He tweeted, “This morning, my thoughts with the three victims of #ManchesterVictoria stabbing incident last night, including a brave police officer. Wishing them all a full recovery.  A suspect has been arrested and @TerrorismPolice are leading the investigation.”

Meanwhile, following the attack on Monday, the city’s law enforcement agencies increased security at the New Year celebrations that were held at Albert Square. 

Since the suicide bomb attack in May 2017, when 22 people were killed at a concert by pop star Ariana Grande, Britain has been on its second-highest threat level of severe, which means that an attack is considered highly likely.