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| American Describes Taking Down Gunman on Train to France | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| PARIS — The two American service members who tackled a gunman on a high-speed train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris rushed him even though he was fully armed, then grabbed him by the neck and beat him over the head with his own automatic rifle until he was unconscious, one of them said in television interviews here on Saturday. | |
| The suspect entered the train car carrying an AK-47 and a handgun, according to the Americans. “I looked over at Spencer and said, ‘Let’s go,’” said one of them, Alek Skarlatos, identified as a specialist in the Oregon Army National Guard returning from Afghanistan. With him was his friend, Airman First Class Spencer Stone. “And he jumped, I followed behind him by about three seconds. Spencer got the guy first, grabbed the guy by the neck, I grabbed the handgun,” Mr. Skarlatos said. | |
| The Pentagon confirmed the Americans’ identities. | The Pentagon confirmed the Americans’ identities. |
| The suspect wounded at least one passenger before the two men subdued him, and their quick action averted what officials said could have been a blood bath. On Saturday morning the French news media, government and social media praised their actions, and President Obama also hailed their bravery. | The suspect wounded at least one passenger before the two men subdued him, and their quick action averted what officials said could have been a blood bath. On Saturday morning the French news media, government and social media praised their actions, and President Obama also hailed their bravery. |
| A third American, Anthony Sadler, a friend of the two servicemen who was traveling with them, also helped restrain the suspect. | A third American, Anthony Sadler, a friend of the two servicemen who was traveling with them, also helped restrain the suspect. |
| All three Americans were decorated with an honor by the French city of Arras, where the train, an Amsterdam-Paris express, pulled in after the episode. President François Hollande of France will meet with them in coming days, the Élysée Palace announced. | |
| Mr. Stone was severely cut by the suspect in the neck and hand and received treatment at a hospital in northern France, though his injuries are not life-threatening. An amateur video taken in the immediate aftermath and uploaded to YouTube shows the suspect on the ground with his legs in the air and his hands tied behind his back, while another man — apparently Mr. Stone, kneels shirtless and evidently in pain. Groans are heard, and a voice saying, “Dude, I tried to shoot him.” | |
| The suspect was identified by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve of France on Saturday as a 26-year-old Moroccan man known to Spanish authorities as belonging to “the radical Islamist movement.” Mr. Cazeneuve, however, cautioned that the French police had not yet fully confirmed his identity. French officials had identified the man, not named, as a security risk, but he was not under surveillance and had apparently spent little time in France. | The suspect was identified by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve of France on Saturday as a 26-year-old Moroccan man known to Spanish authorities as belonging to “the radical Islamist movement.” Mr. Cazeneuve, however, cautioned that the French police had not yet fully confirmed his identity. French officials had identified the man, not named, as a security risk, but he was not under surveillance and had apparently spent little time in France. |
| Mr. Cazeneuve said the man had lived in Spain in 2014 and Belgium in 2015. According to an official involved in Spain’s antiterrorism efforts, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the suspect lived for about one year in Algeciras, in southern Spain but left in March 2014. He had been kept under surveillance by the Spanish police during his time in Algeciras because of past criminal activities linked to drug trafficking, and the Spanish police shared that information with their French counterparts, according to the Spanish official. | Mr. Cazeneuve said the man had lived in Spain in 2014 and Belgium in 2015. According to an official involved in Spain’s antiterrorism efforts, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the suspect lived for about one year in Algeciras, in southern Spain but left in March 2014. He had been kept under surveillance by the Spanish police during his time in Algeciras because of past criminal activities linked to drug trafficking, and the Spanish police shared that information with their French counterparts, according to the Spanish official. |
| After being arrested in Arras on Friday night, the suspect was taken early Saturday to the headquarters of the anti-terrorist police outside Paris, Mr. Cazeneuve said, and was being interrogated by the police. French news reports said that he had denied having terrorist aims and merely intended to rob the passengers. | After being arrested in Arras on Friday night, the suspect was taken early Saturday to the headquarters of the anti-terrorist police outside Paris, Mr. Cazeneuve said, and was being interrogated by the police. French news reports said that he had denied having terrorist aims and merely intended to rob the passengers. |
| But the arsenal described by the minister suggested otherwise: a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a Luger automatic pistol, nine cartridges and a sharp blade — a “cutter,” the interior minister said, which he used to cut Mr. Spencer. | But the arsenal described by the minister suggested otherwise: a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a Luger automatic pistol, nine cartridges and a sharp blade — a “cutter,” the interior minister said, which he used to cut Mr. Spencer. |
| The violent encounter was over in barely two minutes. But if not for the quick action by the two American servicemen and the suspect’s malfunctioning automatic rifle, many lives would have been lost. “It could have been a real carnage,” said Chris Norman, a British businessman who also helped restrain the suspect after he had been subdued. | The violent encounter was over in barely two minutes. But if not for the quick action by the two American servicemen and the suspect’s malfunctioning automatic rifle, many lives would have been lost. “It could have been a real carnage,” said Chris Norman, a British businessman who also helped restrain the suspect after he had been subdued. |
| Mr. Norman, interviewed on television, said: “The guy actually came up, he pulled out a cutter, started cutting Spencer. He cut Spencer behind the neck, he nearly cut his thumb off. We eventually got him under control. | Mr. Norman, interviewed on television, said: “The guy actually came up, he pulled out a cutter, started cutting Spencer. He cut Spencer behind the neck, he nearly cut his thumb off. We eventually got him under control. |
| The train, the express Thalys between Amsterdam and Paris, was hurtling through the Belgian countryside. A French passenger headed for the toilets in car No. 12, and suddenly found himself face to face with a man with a Kalashnikov over his shoulder, Mr. Cazeneuve said. | The train, the express Thalys between Amsterdam and Paris, was hurtling through the Belgian countryside. A French passenger headed for the toilets in car No. 12, and suddenly found himself face to face with a man with a Kalashnikov over his shoulder, Mr. Cazeneuve said. |
| The passenger “courageously” tried to tackle the man, who fired off several shots, the minister said, hitting another passenger, of dual French-American citizenship. A train employee ran through the carriage. Mr. Norman and the two Americans looked up, saw the man with the Kalashnikov and ducked down into their seats. It was then that the two Americans decided to take action. The train was still moving at top speed. | The passenger “courageously” tried to tackle the man, who fired off several shots, the minister said, hitting another passenger, of dual French-American citizenship. A train employee ran through the carriage. Mr. Norman and the two Americans looked up, saw the man with the Kalashnikov and ducked down into their seats. It was then that the two Americans decided to take action. The train was still moving at top speed. |
| “Spencer ran a good 10 meters to get to the guy,” Mr. Skarlatos told television interviewers. | “Spencer ran a good 10 meters to get to the guy,” Mr. Skarlatos told television interviewers. |
| After they tackled the suspect, Mr. Skarlatos said he pulled the handgun away from the man and threw it to the side. He then grabbed the Kalashnikov, which was lying at the suspect’s feet, he told television interviewers. The suspect was yelling at the two to give him back his gun, said Mr. Sadler, the third American. | After they tackled the suspect, Mr. Skarlatos said he pulled the handgun away from the man and threw it to the side. He then grabbed the Kalashnikov, which was lying at the suspect’s feet, he told television interviewers. The suspect was yelling at the two to give him back his gun, said Mr. Sadler, the third American. |
| Instead, Mr. Skarlatos began beating him with his own rifle. He said he “started muzzle-thumping him in the head with it.” Other passengers joined in, and Mr. Stone held him in a chokehold until he lost consciousness, Mr. Skarlatos said. | Instead, Mr. Skarlatos began beating him with his own rifle. He said he “started muzzle-thumping him in the head with it.” Other passengers joined in, and Mr. Stone held him in a chokehold until he lost consciousness, Mr. Skarlatos said. |
| With the gunman subdued, Mr. Stone badly cut and bloodied and the other passengers stunned, Mr. Skarlatos discovered that the suspect’s guns had malfunctioned. | With the gunman subdued, Mr. Stone badly cut and bloodied and the other passengers stunned, Mr. Skarlatos discovered that the suspect’s guns had malfunctioned. |
| “He had pulled the trigger on the AK, the primer was just faulty, so the gun didn’t go off, luckily,” Mr. Skarlatos said. “And he didn’t know how to fix it, which is also very lucky.” In addition, he had not been able to load his own handgun. “There was no magazine in it, so he either dropped it accidentally or didn’t load it properly, so he was only able to get what appeared to be one shot off,” Mr. Skarlatos said. | “He had pulled the trigger on the AK, the primer was just faulty, so the gun didn’t go off, luckily,” Mr. Skarlatos said. “And he didn’t know how to fix it, which is also very lucky.” In addition, he had not been able to load his own handgun. “There was no magazine in it, so he either dropped it accidentally or didn’t load it properly, so he was only able to get what appeared to be one shot off,” Mr. Skarlatos said. |
| Meanwhile, despite bleeding heavily, Mr. Stone went to the aid of the gunshot victim, Mr. Sadler said. “Even though he was injured he went to help the other man who was injured,” he said. “Without his help he would have died.” | Meanwhile, despite bleeding heavily, Mr. Stone went to the aid of the gunshot victim, Mr. Sadler said. “Even though he was injured he went to help the other man who was injured,” he said. “Without his help he would have died.” |
| The entire episode happened so quickly that the three men barely had time to think about the danger they had faced. | The entire episode happened so quickly that the three men barely had time to think about the danger they had faced. |
| “We were scared for sure, but, I mean, adrenaline mostly just takes over, because I didn’t have time to think,” Mr. Skarlatos said. “I didn’t realize or fully comprehend what was going on. It felt like it was a dream or a movie.” | “We were scared for sure, but, I mean, adrenaline mostly just takes over, because I didn’t have time to think,” Mr. Skarlatos said. “I didn’t realize or fully comprehend what was going on. It felt like it was a dream or a movie.” |
| The United States European Command Commander, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, praised the men in a statement on Saturday: “These men are heroes. Actions like this clearly illustrate the courage and commitment our young men and women have all the time, whether they are on duty or on leave.” | The United States European Command Commander, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, praised the men in a statement on Saturday: “These men are heroes. Actions like this clearly illustrate the courage and commitment our young men and women have all the time, whether they are on duty or on leave.” |