Obama Praises Three American Heroes Who Prevented Paris Train Attack
U.S. President Barack Obama has spoken out in praise of three Americans who successfully stopped a gunman from opening fire on a train from Amsterdam to Paris earlier this year.
The president met with the three men in the White House this week to honor them for their courageous actions when they stopped a gunman from opening fire on an August 21 train ride from Amsterdam to Paris.
Photos from the event show the three men, including Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler, posing with the Commander-in-Chief.
"Because of their courage, because of their quick thinking, because of their teamwork [...] a real calamity was averted," The president said of the men's courageous behavior. "It's these kinds of young people who make me extraordinarily optimistic and hopeful about our future. I thank each and every one of them and wish them well."
The three men, all high school friends, were traveling on a train from Amsterdam to Paris on August 21 when they helped subdue a gunman who was planning to open fire on the train's passengers. While the French government has suggested the attack was motivated by religious extremism, the gunman has said he was hungry and attempting to rob the train.
The president added in his honor of the three young men that they represent the best of "America's character," adding "They were thinking they were just going to have a fun reunion in Paris and ended up engaging in a potentially cataclysmic situation."
