False alarm: Knife-wielding man on Metro revealed to be expert ham cutter

Last week, a video went viral of a young man sharpening a large carving knife on a Metro train in Madrid. The video alarmed social media users, with many concerned the young man was dangerous and worried about his reasons for bringing a large knife onto public transport.

But the mystery has now been resolved. The young man is in fact a 27-year-old professional ham cutter who was on his way to work.

 Judicial authorities will now decide whether criminal proceedings should be brought against the man

The incident took place on Friday, March 15 on Line 10 of the Metro system. In the video, the young man is seen sitting down and calmly sharpening a large knife in front of many confused passengers.

Security guards reviewed the CCTV footage and on Monday authorities from Madrid Metro announced that they had identified the young man. The footage was passed on to the transport police department, which took over the investigation.

After being tracked down by officers, the 27-year-old explained who he was and where he was going. Although he was released, officers have passed the case onto judicial authorities to decide whether criminal proceedings should be brought against him. Police sources say they are also investigating whether the man violated the Public Safety Law by carrying such a large knife and displaying it on public transport.

The Madrid Metro has assured that there was “not one minute of panic” on the train, adding that its security budget has increased by 20% from the previous contract. Company sources also stated that Metro users gave the system a 7.46 rating out of 10 for security, according to Spanish news agency Europa Press.

 English version by Asia London Palomba.