France24.com Cable/Satellite TV has had direct coverage including a live news conference with the older Brit Chris Norman.
Norman speaking fluent French and English, told the story live yesterday in France.. Norman relates... He was sitting in his seat - heard shooting and glass breaking... he hear a American voice say ‘Spencer Get Him’ and other shouting. Norman said he ducked down to see if he could hide and quickly realized that if the terrorist got going everyone would die... “So I decided to be active...if I am going to die I will die fighting”... Norman said he ran down the isle - saw Spencer Stone with a choke hold on the terrorist. Norman then grabbed the terrorist’s arm and a Frenchman - an off duty train driver grabbed the other arm. In the struggle - Alex Sharlatos got the pistol then the AK while both Anthony Sadler and Sharlatos pummeled the terrorist at every chance - blooding the terrorist until they got him down - then using a tie and other clothing hog tied the almost unconscious terrorist. Spencer Stone was stabbed and slashed on the back of the neck and suffered an almost severed thumb from the box cutter. Stone then saw a train employee who had been slashed at the neck earlier and was bleeding badly lying on the floor. Spencer Stone then kept yelling ‘I’m a medic’ ‘ I’m a medic’ and insisted on tending to the bleeding train employee - which Stone did and was able to stop the bleeding.
Including train employees there were about 580 people on the train. The terrorist’s bags had at least 10 AK 30 round magazines filled -300 rounds, another knife and he had brandished the automatic pistol.
Earlier the passengers had been alerted by a passenger (who was a French actor) who sounded the train alarm by breaking glass with his hand - this also applied the train’s brakes. The French actor did this after hearing the metallic sounds sounding like a rifle loading coming from the small restroom. The terrorist then burst from the restroom and was confronted by the train employee who was then slashed with a box cutter. That is when Spencer Stone ran down the train car isle and tackled the terrorist and putting him into a choke hold which Stone never released...
The older man - the Brit Chris Norman was quite good in pointing out who did what and that he had done what the could and that Spencer Stone did most of the heavy lifting...
I believe Spencer Stone is a member of the U.S. Air Force... that Alex Sharlatos is a Army Reservist, and Anthony Sadler is a college student. The three were traveling together on some time of excursion. Family photos appeared with Sharlatos and Sadler with their young daughters in separate photos. Spencer Stone has been shown wearing his camouflage fatigues. The Brit Chris Normal is a businessman with family in England and works as a venture capitalist of sorts out of South Africa. Chris Norman’s ability to speak fluent French helped set the record straight for the French media done without translating so the French people will get an accurate depiction of events. This is good because the French politicians were blabbering on with inanities.
The train originated in Belgium and authorities are investigating there. It was reported that Spanish authorities had reported this terrorist a year ago to French authorities about his suspicious activities and statements. But once again - nothing was done.
What a Fine Day it was when brave men stood up and say ‘NO’ - not today ...
I saw a saw an interview with Chris Norman - he explained the situation well.