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France train shooting: Americans who overpowered gunman 'heroes' | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Three American men are being hailed as heroes for overpowering a heavily-armed gunman on a train in northern France. | |
The incident happened on the high-speed Thalys service near Arras, and the attacker was arrested at Arras station. | The incident happened on the high-speed Thalys service near Arras, and the attacker was arrested at Arras station. |
US President Barack Obama praised the passengers, who included two off-duty US military personnel. | US President Barack Obama praised the passengers, who included two off-duty US military personnel. |
The man arrested was a 26-year-old Moroccan. Anti-terrorist officers have taken over the case. | The man arrested was a 26-year-old Moroccan. Anti-terrorist officers have taken over the case. |
The gunman's weapons were said to include a Kalashnikov, a knife, an automatic pistol and cartridges. | |
French authorities said three people were injured, two of them seriously - one with a gunshot wound, the other a knife wound. | French authorities said three people were injured, two of them seriously - one with a gunshot wound, the other a knife wound. |
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the attack took place at 17:45 local time (15:45 GMT) on Friday. | Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the attack took place at 17:45 local time (15:45 GMT) on Friday. |
French media said the arrested man was known to the intelligence services but he has so far refused to talk to police in Arras. | |
Two of the American men who overpowered the gunman, Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos, are members of the Air Force and the National Guard respectively. | |
Their friend, Anthony Sadler, was travelling with them and described the scene. | |
"As he was cocking it to shoot it, Alek just yells, `Spencer, go!' And Spencer runs down the aisle." | |
"Spencer makes first contact, he tackles the guy, Alek wrestles the gun away from him, and the gunman pulls out a box cutter and slices Spencer a few times. And the three of us beat him until he was unconscious." | |
'Just regular passengers' | |
Chris Norman, a British man living in France, was also hurt while trying to subdue the attacker. | |
"I came in at the end of it all and helped get him under control," he said at a news conference in Arras. | |
"The guy pulled out a cutter and started cutting Spencer - he cut behind his neck and nearly cut his thumb off." | |
Spencer Stone remains in hospital. | |
Social worker Christina Coons from New York told BBC Radio 5 Live she ducked under her seat when she heard shots. | |
She said: "None of these men were in uniform. They were just regular passengers, this afternoon, who stepped up to the plate as soon as they saw what was happening." | |
The passengers included French actor Jean-Hugues Anglade, the star of Betty Blue and Nikita, who was lightly wounded breaking glass to sound the alarm. | |
The American men and Mr Norman were awarded medals for bravery by authorities in Arras. | |
Mr Cazeneuve said the passengers were "particularly courageous and showed great bravery in very difficult circumstances", adding: "Without their composure we could have been confronted with a terrible incident." | |
"The president expressed his profound gratitude for the courage and quick thinking of several passengers, including US service members, who selflessly subdued the attacker," the White House said in a statement. | "The president expressed his profound gratitude for the courage and quick thinking of several passengers, including US service members, who selflessly subdued the attacker," the White House said in a statement. |
"It is clear that their heroic actions may have prevented a far worse tragedy." | "It is clear that their heroic actions may have prevented a far worse tragedy." |
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel called the incident a "terrorist attack". | Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel called the incident a "terrorist attack". |
Images shared on social media appeared to show a man being restrained on the station platform in Arras. | Images shared on social media appeared to show a man being restrained on the station platform in Arras. |
One photograph showed an injured man in a blue top and jeans lying on the floor of the train. | One photograph showed an injured man in a blue top and jeans lying on the floor of the train. |
French rail firm SNCF said there had been 554 people on board the train. | French rail firm SNCF said there had been 554 people on board the train. |
Thalys said several trains had been delayed in the wake of the attack. | Thalys said several trains had been delayed in the wake of the attack. |
France has been on edge since the attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket in Paris in January, which left 17 people dead. | France has been on edge since the attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket in Paris in January, which left 17 people dead. |
And in June a man said to be inspired by the Islamic State group beheaded his boss and tried to blow up a gas plant in southern France. | And in June a man said to be inspired by the Islamic State group beheaded his boss and tried to blow up a gas plant in southern France. |
Are you affected by issues covered in this story? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. | Are you affected by issues covered in this story? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |