# Serious massacre prevented on train by 3 US and 1 Brit passengers in Europe **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 21, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473 "2015-08-21T20:27:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/1 "2015-08-21T20:27:06Z")
[http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/region/arras-coups-de-feu-dans-un-thalys-la-piste-terroriste-ia0b0n3001636](http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/region/arras-coups-de-feu-dans-un-thalys-la-piste-terroriste-ia0b0n3001636) US Marine on leave and a British soldier hear a man in the train bathroom loading heavy weapons. Ambushed him as he came out before he could do much. The terrorist (Moroccan origin, apparently) is in serious condition. The Marine and the Brit are wounded - one gunshot, in hospital, the other apparently superficially cut. On edit: they changed the story to make it two American soldiers, presumably Marines. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/2 "2015-08-21T20:50:50Z")
Reporting in English: [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11817490/Gunman-injures-three-after-firing-Kalashnikov-on-train-in-France-latest.html](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11817490/Gunman-injures-three-after-firing-Kalashnikov-on-train-in-France-latest.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/3 "2015-08-21T20:52:21Z")
Pas de fuck-ez avec les Marines. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/4 "2015-08-21T21:19:51Z")
The [BBC article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34023361) makes no mention of the Briton nor their military statuses. Bravo Zulu guys, Bravo Zulu. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/5 "2015-08-21T21:22:08Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > The [BBC article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34023361) makes no mention of the Briton nor their military statuses. > > Bravo Zulu guys, Bravo Zulu. From your article: French media said the passengers who overpowered the suspect were US Marines who had heard the man loading a weapon in a toilet cubicle and confronted him when he came out. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/6 "2015-08-21T21:32:16Z")
I was on that train (I got off at Brussels) three weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/7 "2015-08-21T21:33:16Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > From your article: > > French media said… It didn’t say that when I linked to it. The BBC have a practice of invisible edits. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/8 "2015-08-21T21:38:52Z")
let me guess…the man about to murder was a moslem? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/9 "2015-08-21T21:39:44Z")
Gunman was known to French police as a radical Muslim. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/10 "2015-08-21T21:40:34Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > let me guess…the man about to murder was a moslem? Reports say Moroccan. Considering that Morocco is about 99% Muslim, and about 1% Christian… I think it’s safe to say chances are he was not a Christian. ---
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/11 "2015-08-22T02:52:37Z")
God bless those guys for being observant and taking action. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/12 "2015-08-22T03:09:08Z")
I’m sort of surprised the french haven’t charged and arrested those Marines for assault. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/13 "2015-08-22T03:16:56Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I’m sort of surprised the french haven’t charged and arrested those Marines for assault. Give it a rest. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/14 "2015-08-22T04:24:36Z")
The only photos I’ve seen of the scene were from the Daily Mail’s article. They have over a dozen photos. There’s nine ammo magazines laying on the ground that came out of this crazy bastard’s backpack. That’s some serious killing he had planned. > **[PICTURED: Hero US airman and friends who disarmed Moroccan terrorist](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3206426/U-S-Marines-armed-gunman-onboard-high-speed-train-Amsterdam-Paris.html)** > > Spencer Stone, who is part of the U.S. Air Force, spotted the 26-year-old Moroccan acting suspiciously and took him down with the help of two friends before he could inflict more damage. Is it still possible to move from car to car while the train is moving? Could this guy have just hosed down people and moved on to the next car? He possibly could have killed hundreds. These people were trapped with no where to run. They quite literally dodged a bullet in France yesterday. This could have been really, really bad. Thank goodness those Marines heard him racking up. Took his crazy ass down before he got off a shot. Semper Fi , Always faithful, _Indeed_ My prayers go out to the seriously injured Marine. I hope he fully recovers soon. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/15 "2015-08-22T05:08:34Z")
well, the story evolves. Interview here from CNN > **[2 members of U.S. military stop Islamist attacker on train in Belgium | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/21/europe/france-train-shooting/)** > > A massacre on a train in Belgium was prevented Friday when two members of the U.S. miliary surprised an Islamist militant, a European official said. > [@](#): > > The three men – a member of the Air Force, an inactive National Guard member and a civilian – responded quickly, possibly preventing a deadly attack on the high-speed Thalys train. > > The suspect had a box cutter or some other bladed weapon, authorities said. > > “My friend Alek (Skarlatos) yells, ‘Get him,’ so my friend Spencer (Stone) immediately gets up to charge the guy, followed by Alek, then myself,” Anthony Sadler said in an interview with CNN. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/16 "2015-08-22T05:12:29Z")
Need more folks like these guys. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/17 "2015-08-22T05:33:17Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > well, the story evolves. I guess to the French any member of the US military is a Marine 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/18 "2015-08-22T06:45:11Z")
[_Very_ Not-Safe-for-Work YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R5A0pg4oN8). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/19 "2015-08-22T07:00:08Z")
Awesome story. I like that they hogtied the attacker. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2015, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473/20 "2015-08-22T10:13:28Z")
[Current reports](http://news.sky.com/story/1539905/us-soldier-how-we-stopped-train-gunman) say it was two US servicemen (one National Guardsman, one Air Force), plus possibly one other American no-serviceman, plus one British man status unknown, who stopped the attacker. Bloody good job, too. They deserve medals. I’m going to France by train next week; hopefully security will be tight then. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-massacre-prevented-on-train-by-3-us-and-1-brit-passengers-in-europe/728473.md?page=2)