A fourth American hero was identified by authorities as the man who wrestled an AK-47 away from Islamist Ayoub El-Khazzani on the train from Brussels to Paris.
Mark Moogalian was shot in the neck by Ayoub El-Khazzani. (Telegraph)
Professor Mark Moogalian was shot in the back and the neck by the Islamic terrorist during the attack.
The Telegraph reported:
The mystery identity of the first heroic passenger to wrestle a weapon from the high-speed train gunman can be disclosed for the first time by The Telegraph.
Mark Moogalian, a 51-year-old professor at the Sorbonne, tackled Ayoub El-Khazzani during Friday’s bloody incident aboard an Amsterdam-Paris international service.
Francois Hollande, the French President, has announced he will award Mr Moogalian the Legion d’Honneur, the country’s highest decoration, as soon as he is well enough.
Mr Moogalian, who lives in Paris but is originally from Midlothian, Virginia, US, is the previously unnamed man who came to the aid of “Damien A”, 28, a French banker who confronted El-Khazzani.
The academic acted instinctively to protect his wife Isabella Risacher, who was also aboard the Thalys train.
He tackled the Kalashnikov assault rifle off El-Khazzani, who then drew a sidearm and shot him in the neck before taking back the rifle, his sister has revealed.
Three other US citizens including two military personnel, and Chris Norman, a British businessman then stepped in to disarm and overpower the assailant.
Moogalian was hospitalized after the terrorist attack on the Brussels to Paris train.
#MarkMoogalian & Damien A., Mystery Belgium Train Heroes #Thalys #ThalysAttentat http://t.co/kHOgqiSfAL pic.twitter.com/nBgTLTIJCk
— Van Jabagjorian (@VanHJab) August 24, 2015