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Gunman opens fire on Amsterdam-Paris train, wounding two people Americans overpower gunman who opened fire on Paris express
(about 5 hours later)
A heavily armed gunman opened fire on a high-speed train travelling from Amsterdam to Paris on Friday, injuring two people before being overpowered by two American soldiers who were on board. French anti-terrorist police were questioning the gunman who was arrested after the train made an emergency stop at the station of Arras, near the French-Belgian border. A heavily armed gunman opened fire on a high-speed train travelling from Amsterdam to Paris on Friday before being overpowered by three Americans, two of whom were soldiers.
Two people were injured in the attack, including one of the Americans who was hospitalised with “serious injuries”, French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.
French anti-terrorist police were questioning the gunman who was arrested after the train made an emergency stop at the station of Arras, near the French-Belgian border.
The motives behind the attack were not immediately known, although French prosecutors said an inquiry was being launched by counter-terrorism investigators. According to the early briefings, the gunman was known to French intelligence services and was Moroccan or of Moroccan origin and aged 26.The motives behind the attack were not immediately known, although French prosecutors said an inquiry was being launched by counter-terrorism investigators. According to the early briefings, the gunman was known to French intelligence services and was Moroccan or of Moroccan origin and aged 26.
The shooting happened just before 6pm in the last carriage of the TGV train which was carrying a total of 554 passengers. The man had several weapons in his luggage, including a Kalashnikov, an automatic pistol, and razor blades.The shooting happened just before 6pm in the last carriage of the TGV train which was carrying a total of 554 passengers. The man had several weapons in his luggage, including a Kalashnikov, an automatic pistol, and razor blades.
The two men who tackled the gunman were American soldiers who had apparently heard him loading his weapons in the train’s toilet. They had confronted him when he left the cubicle, investigators confirmed to AFP. The shooting is believed to have taken place as the man left the toilet and the Americans tackled and overpowered him. Two of the Americans were in the military, according to their traveling companion and childhood friend Anthony Sadler, a senior at Sacramento State University told Associated Press.
One victim – believed to be one of the American soldiers – was hit by a bullet. He was airlifted to hospital in Lille for treatment. The second suffered cuts to his elbow caused by a box cutter knife and a fractured hand. The injured American was Spencer Stone of the Sacramento area and the other was Alek Skarlatos of Roseburg, Oregon.
“We heard a gunshot, and we heard glass breaking behind us, and saw a train employee sprint past us down the aisle,” Sadler said from France, describing the drama. Then, they saw a gunman entering the train car with an automatic rifle, he said.
“As he was cocking it to shoot it, Alek just yells, ‘Spencer, go!’ And Spencer runs down the aisle,” Sadler said.
“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.”
Another passenger helped tie the gunman up, and Stone then helped another passenger who had been wounded in the throat and losing blood, Sadler said.“The gunman never said a word,” he added.
The French actor Jean-Hugues Anglade, who appeared in the 1986 cult film Betty Blue starring Beatrice Dalle, was also lightly injured in the incident. He was reportedly hurt while breaking the glass to activate the train’s alarm.The French actor Jean-Hugues Anglade, who appeared in the 1986 cult film Betty Blue starring Beatrice Dalle, was also lightly injured in the incident. He was reportedly hurt while breaking the glass to activate the train’s alarm.
The suspect is believed to have boarded the train in Belgium and the shooting took place as the train was travelling through Belgian territory. The Belgian prime minister Charles Michel tweeted his condemnation of what he called the “terrorist attack”.The suspect is believed to have boarded the train in Belgium and the shooting took place as the train was travelling through Belgian territory. The Belgian prime minister Charles Michel tweeted his condemnation of what he called the “terrorist attack”.
Je condamne l'attaque terroriste dans le @thalys_fr et fais part de ma sympathie pour les victimes.Je condamne l'attaque terroriste dans le @thalys_fr et fais part de ma sympathie pour les victimes.
The French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, who rushed to Arras, said the American passengers “were particularly courageous and showed great bravery in very difficult circumstances”. He said: “Without their sangfroid, we could have been confronted with a terrible drama.” He described the incident as an act of “barbaric violence”. The French prime minister, Manuel Valls, also expressed his gratitude to the soldiers. Cazeneuve, who rushed to Arras, said the American passengers “were particularly courageous and showed great bravery in very difficult circumstances”.
“Without their sangfroid, we could have been confronted with a terrible drama.” He described the incident as an act of “barbaric violence”. The French prime minister, Manuel Valls, also expressed his gratitude to the soldiers.
A White House official told reporters that President Barack Obama was briefed on the shooting, and said, “While the investigation into the attack is in its early stages, it is clear that their heroic actions may have prevented a far worse tragedy.”A White House official told reporters that President Barack Obama was briefed on the shooting, and said, “While the investigation into the attack is in its early stages, it is clear that their heroic actions may have prevented a far worse tragedy.”
The French president François Hollande, said: “All is being done to shed light on this drama.” He had spoken to the Belgian prime minister and the two countries two were cooperating on the investigation.The French president François Hollande, said: “All is being done to shed light on this drama.” He had spoken to the Belgian prime minister and the two countries two were cooperating on the investigation.
“The passengers are safe, the situation has been brought under control,” said the train operator Thalys, jointly owned by the national rail companies of Belgium, France and Germany.“The passengers are safe, the situation has been brought under control,” said the train operator Thalys, jointly owned by the national rail companies of Belgium, France and Germany.
Passengers in other carriages described on French TV how the train braked several times before pulling in to Arras station, where the man was arrested. Train alarms had gone off on board the train and passengers in other carriages had heard train staff communicating with each other by loudspeaker about an ongoing incident just before the train pulled in.Passengers in other carriages described on French TV how the train braked several times before pulling in to Arras station, where the man was arrested. Train alarms had gone off on board the train and passengers in other carriages had heard train staff communicating with each other by loudspeaker about an ongoing incident just before the train pulled in.
The passengers were taken to a gymnasium in Arras, where several were treated for shock, French media reported. One passenger, Patrick Arres, 51, told AFP that when the train pulled into Arras station, he saw more than 30 armed police on the tracks. “They were looking for someone. People were scared.”The passengers were taken to a gymnasium in Arras, where several were treated for shock, French media reported. One passenger, Patrick Arres, 51, told AFP that when the train pulled into Arras station, he saw more than 30 armed police on the tracks. “They were looking for someone. People were scared.”
France remains on high alert after January’s terrorist attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in Paris in January, in which gunmen killed 17 people. And in May last year, four people, including two Israeli tourists, were killed when a French gunman opened fire at the Jewish Museum in Brussels.France remains on high alert after January’s terrorist attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in Paris in January, in which gunmen killed 17 people. And in May last year, four people, including two Israeli tourists, were killed when a French gunman opened fire at the Jewish Museum in Brussels.