Mark Linnhoefer – Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone, and Alek Skarlatos were traveling from Amsterdam to Paris in a high speed train on Friday when they saw a train employee sprinting towards them followed by Ayoub El-Khazzani who was carrying a handgun, a box cutter and a Kalashnikov, trying to rob the train, according to his lawyer.
The three Americans could very well not have been on that train as they had contemplated spending a few more days in the Dutch capital. But it was “almost luck that they were on it” as Skarlatos’ brother Skolon puts it, given the circumstances of course.
Spencer Stone was the first to tackle the gunmen who cut him three times with the box cutter. When the assailant was on the floor the three man “beat him until he was unconscious” according to Anthony Sadler. The motives of the attack are still unclear, although El-Khazzani has apparently on the radar of Spanish, French and Belgic authorities and has been linked to “radical Islam” and travelled to Syria. The gunman’s lawyer claims that El-Khazzani was only trying to rob the train and is “dumbfounded” to be connected to terrorism.
Two more people played an essential part in stopping the assailant – Chris Norman, a British businessman, and a French citizen whose identity remains veiled. The Briton helped in subduing the supposed terrorist, and the Frenchman was the first to call attention to El-Khazzani whom he saw with the assault rifle.
The US trio has received much honor for their heroic act. The President himself has called them on Sunday to commend them for their actions that helped preserve hundreds of innocent lives. The governor of Oregon, Kate Brown, saluted Alek Skaraltos for his efforts and dubbed him “the pride of Oregon”. The parents and relatives of all three have expressed how proud they are with them and how relieved that they’re safe.
The trio and the Frenchman who first confronted El-Khazzani will meet the French president on Monday. El-Khazzani is currently being detained by the French anti-terrorism police who have the right to keep him locked up for 96 hours but as the investigation is still ongoing, further details are not available at this point.
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