Barack Obama salutes the bravery of two Marines in the Thalys train

President Obama expressed his "deep gratitude for the courage and responsiveness of several passengers, including members of the US military who have selflessly mastered the assailant".

He praised "the heroic actions" that have probably prevented "a much worse tragedy," adding that the United States would remain in "close contact" with the French authorities during the investigation that has just begun. The President extended a "rapid and complete recovery" has all the victims of the shooting. The commander William Utban, Pentagon spokesman, said that "a member of the army was injured during the incident". According to him, his prognosis is not engaged, but he was not able to give more detail. An armed man opened fire on Friday in a Thalys train between Paris and Amsterdam, wounding two persons, before being mastered by Americans passengers. The train was stopped at Arras station, where the shooter was arrested.

According to the American news channel CNN, the two marines were dressed in civilian clothes and have mastered the shooter while he was loading a Kalashnikov assault gun, after shooting one of the soldiers with an automatic pistol. A French police said the suspect, if his identity was confirmed, was the subject of an information services card. According to the first elements of the investigation, it would be Moroccan or Moroccan origin and age 26.

Earlier, Francois Hollande, Manuel Valls, and Bernard Cazeneuve also highlighted the bravery and courage of two American soldiers.

Source : Ouest-France