Terror Attack on Train in Belgium Thwarted

[Arctish]

by three Americans and one British man. One of the Americans is in the Air Force, one is in the National Guard, one is a college student, and the British guy is in his 60s.

2 members of U.S. military stop Islamist attacker on train in Belgium

2 U.S. soldiers subdue gunman on Paris-bound train

France train shooting: Americans overpower gunman

Three people have been hurt after a heavily armed man opened fire on a train in northern France, before being overpowered by American passengers.

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.

The man arrested was a 26-year-old Moroccan. Anti-terrorist officers have taken over the case.

The 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.

Two Members of U.S. Military Rushed France Train Attacker

Two members of the U.S. military rushed a gunman who opened fire aboard a train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris Friday afternoon, thwarting what could have been a much more serious attack.

National Guard soldier Alek Skarlatos said in an interview that his friend, Spencer Stone, who is also in the military, did not hesitate when he spotted the gunman holding what appeared to be a machine gun and tackled him.

"If anybody would have gotten shot it would have been Spencer for sure," Skarlatos said in an interview with Reuters. "We're very lucky that nobody got killed, especially Spencer."

Skarlatos, of Oregon, was right after Spencer and helped subdue the attacker. Another American, college student Anthony Sadler, and a British man living in France, Chris Norman, jumped in to help, they said.

The Air Force serviceman was injured pretty badly along with one of the other passengers, but apparently they stopped the guy almost the moment he appeared, shirtless and heavily armed.

 

[barbos]

ISIS must be mad because of this fiasco.

 

[credoconsolans]

Interesting. The story yesterday was that the two military men were Marines.

People were assuming they were traveling between NATO bases.

EDITED: Oh, man. The BBC report says the train employees locked themselves in cabins, leaving the passengers outside. Is that SOP?

 

[Harry Bosch]

Interesting. The story yesterday was that the two military men were Marines.

People were assuming they were traveling between NATO bases.

EDITED: Oh, man. The BBC report says the train employees locked themselves in cabins, leaving the passengers outside. Is that SOP?

It's early, but I'll bet that the employees locked themselves and passengers in the cabins. However, I think the larger issue is that the terrorist was "known" to the French police!!? Are the French out of jail space or something? Even if he hasn't broken a law, anyone with terror sympathies who travels to Syria ought to be monitored by someone.

 

[credoconsolans]

Interesting. The story yesterday was that the two military men were Marines.

People were assuming they were traveling between NATO bases.

EDITED: Oh, man. The BBC report says the train employees locked themselves in cabins, leaving the passengers outside. Is that SOP?

It's early, but I'll bet that the employees locked themselves and passengers in the cabins.

I hope so, otherwise it's like that cruise ship where all the employees took off and left the passengers to fend for themselves.

However, I think the larger issue is that the terrorist was "known" to the French police!!? Are the French out of jail space or something? Even if he hasn't broken a law, anyone with terror sympathies who travels to Syria ought to be monitored by someone.

The stories say the man lived in Spain for some years, then traveled to Syria, then back to France. He was on their radar, they just hadn't made a determination yet on him.

France is probably like the US in this. They can't really do anything until he commits a crime. But I do think no one should be allowed back into countries who goes to Syria.

 

[Harry Bosch]

It's early, but I'll bet that the employees locked themselves and passengers in the cabins.

I hope so, otherwise it's like that cruise ship where all the employees took off and left the passengers to fend for themselves.

However, I think the larger issue is that the terrorist was "known" to the French police!!? Are the French out of jail space or something? Even if he hasn't broken a law, anyone with terror sympathies who travels to Syria ought to be monitored by someone.

The stories say the man lived in Spain for some years, then traveled to Syria, then back to France. He was on their radar, they just hadn't made a determination yet on him.

France is probably like the US in this. They can't really do anything until he commits a crime. But I do think no one should be allowed back into countries who goes to Syria.

I would make it a crime for any countryman to travel to an active war zone unless they were a soldier acting in the military.

 

[laughing dog]

5 Unarmed people subdue armed gunman on train

5 people ( 3 americans, one Brit and one Frenchman)subdued an armed gunman on a train. One of the Americans is a current serviceman and one other was in the National Guard:

....when they heard a gunshot and breaking glass. Sadler told The Associated Press that they saw a train employee sprint down the aisle followed by a gunman with an automatic rifle.

"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 boxcutter and slices Spencer a few times. And the three of us beat him until he was unconscious."

.
(http://www.startribune.com/france-3-americans-subdue-gunman-on-high-speed-train/322575511/)

Lucky for the gunman none of them were trained as US police.

 

[TSwizzle]

Very brave men that prevented serious carnage.

 

[ronburgundy]

5 people ( 3 americans, one Brit and one Frenchman)subdued an armed gunman on a train. One of the Americans is a current serviceman and one other was in the National Guard:

....when they heard a gunshot and breaking glass. Sadler told The Associated Press that they saw a train employee sprint down the aisle followed by a gunman with an automatic rifle.

"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 boxcutter and slices Spencer a few times. And the three of us beat him until he was unconscious."

.
(http://www.startribune.com/france-3-americans-subdue-gunman-on-high-speed-train/322575511/)

Lucky for the gunman none of them were trained as US police.

Unlucky for gunman's future victims, he'll likely be free to kill before too long rather than dead.

I'm glad they stopped him, but like all sane and moral people, it would not have bothered me in the least had they stopped him with a bullet to the head. BTW, 2 of 3 of them were ex US military trained, just like increasing numbers of US cops. Had they been armed and shot him, they would deserve all the same praise. Fortunately for them, they were not in uniform (like cops) and the gunman was focused on gunning down the uniformed train employee, so he paid them no heed and they could run up behind and tackle him before he knew what hit him.

 

[laughing dog]

5 people ( 3 americans, one Brit and one Frenchman)subdued an armed gunman on a train. One of the Americans is a current serviceman and one other was in the National Guard:
.
(http://www.startribune.com/france-3-americans-subdue-gunman-on-high-speed-train/322575511/)

Lucky for the gunman none of them were trained as US police.

Unlucky for gunman's future victims, he'll likely be free to kill before too long rather than dead.

I'm glad they stopped him, but like all sane and moral people, it would not have bothered me in the least had they stopped him with a bullet to the head. BTW, 2 of 3 of them were ex US military trained, just like increasing numbers of US cops. Had they been armed and shot him, they would deserve all the same praise. Fortunately for them, they were not in uniform (like cops) and the gunman was focused on gunning down the uniformed train employee, so he paid them no heed and they could run up behind and tackle him before he knew what hit him.

Thank you for missing the point: they did not put their safety first even though it was not their job to subdue this fellow. And thank you for revealing a rather repugnant "moral" attitude.

 

[ronburgundy]

Unlucky for gunman's future victims, he'll likely be free to kill before too long rather than dead.

I'm glad they stopped him, but like all sane and moral people, it would not have bothered me in the least had they stopped him with a bullet to the head. BTW, 2 of 3 of them were ex US military trained, just like increasing numbers of US cops. Had they been armed and shot him, they would deserve all the same praise. Fortunately for them, they were not in uniform (like cops) and the gunman was focused on gunning down the uniformed train employee, so he paid them no heed and they could run up behind and tackle him before he knew what hit him.

Thank you for missing the point: they did not put their safety first even though it was not their job to subdue this fellow. And thank you for revealing a rather repugnant "moral" attitude.

Your intended point is irrelevant as it is baseless and ignores the relevant facts. They were made safer by not being cops whom the gunman would likely have shot when he passed them. He was likely going for the train employee because he was a uniformed authority. This allowed them to more safely get the gunman from behind.

Thank you for revealing that you would rather see the dozens of innocents murdered rather than the killer get shot.

 

[laughing dog]

Thank you for missing the point: they did not put their safety first even though it was not their job to subdue this fellow. And thank you for revealing a rather repugnant "moral" attitude.

Your intended point is irrelevant as it is baseless and ignores the relevant facts. They were made safer by not being cops whom the gunman would likely have shot when he passed them. He was likely going for the train employee because he was a uniformed authority. This allowed them to more safely get the gunman from behind.

The fact is that they subdued him without killing him. Your conjectures and fantasies are neither facts nor relevant.

Thank you for revealing that you would rather see the dozens of innocents murdered rather than the killer get shot.

The shooter was subdued without shooting him so no other innocents were murdered. You are confusing your bloodthirsty fantasies with reality.

 

[TSwizzle]

Unlucky for gunman's future victims, he'll likely be free to kill before too long rather than dead.

I'm glad they stopped him, but like all sane and moral people, it would not have bothered me in the least had they stopped him with a bullet to the head.

I doubt he will get out anytime soon. But I think it's a good thing he was taken alive. His trial will be interesting and may reveal more about his motives etc. and the enhanced interrogation may get some useful Intel.

 

[abaddon]

Unlucky for gunman's future victims, he'll likely be free to kill before too long rather than dead.

I'm glad they stopped him, but like all sane and moral people, it would not have bothered me in the least had they stopped him with a bullet to the head.

We don’t know how many people might die if we don’t go around shooting people in the head.

 

[Rhea]

5 people ( 3 americans, one Brit and one Frenchman)subdued an armed gunman on a train. One of the Americans is a current serviceman and one other was in the National Guard:
.
(http://www.startribune.com/france-3-americans-subdue-gunman-on-high-speed-train/322575511/)

Lucky for the gunman none of them were trained as US police.

Unlucky for gunman's future victims, he'll likely be free to kill before too long rather than dead.

I'm glad they stopped him, but like all sane and moral people, it would not have bothered me in the least had they stopped him with a bullet to the head. BTW, 2 of 3 of them were ex US military trained, just like increasing numbers of US cops. Had they been armed and shot him, they would deserve all the same praise. Fortunately for them, they were not in uniform (like cops) and the gunman was focused on gunning down the uniformed train employee, so he paid them no heed and they could run up behind and tackle him before he knew what hit him.

So EVEN IF you could take a criminal into custody alive for trial and justice (and possible additional interrogation leading to info to prevent future events)...EVEN IF you could do this, you think it would be just as good to execute the man without a trial.

That is horrible.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

More on this, with an obnoxious repeatedly auto-playing video:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...in-attack-US-soldiers-foil-massacre-live.html

Before when I said that when you can't run and are faced with a gunman that the answer is to try to take him down I was repeatedly attacked. Yet that's exactly what these guys did--and it was the right course of action.

 

[RavenSky]

More on this, with an obnoxious repeatedly auto-playing video:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...in-attack-US-soldiers-foil-massacre-live.html

Before when I said that when you can't run and are faced with a gunman that the answer is to try to take him down I was repeatedly attacked. Yet that's exactly what these guys did--and it was the right course of action.

Your solution is always to GUN the other person down. That is not what these people did (though it is what Ron Burgundy wished happened)

 

[Nexus]

Before when I said that when you can't run and are faced with a gunman that the answer is to try to take him down I was repeatedly attacked. Yet that's exactly what these guys did--and it was the right course of action.

Who attacked you for that? That advice is so sound it was part of Sun Tzu teachings. It general terms he said to get the best fighting from your troops put them in a situation where there is no retreat otherwise known as fighting on desperate ground. Make victory or death their only two choices.

 

[Nexus]

Your solution is always to GUN the other person down.

What would be your tactical advice for someone to stop a spree shooter? Would you recommend they try to stop them unarmed or use a weapon?

 

[RavenSky]

Your solution is always to GUN the other person down.

What would be your tactical advice for someone to stop a spree shooter? Would you recommend they try to stop them unarmed or use a weapon?

Since the situations Loren is usually dispensing his advice in do not involve "spree shooters" - his insistence on killing little boys and unarmed adults does tend to raise some derision.

In this case, however, we do have a "spree shooter" type... who was stopped without killing him.