French-American honoured for helping thwart 2015 train attack

French-American honoured for helping thwart 2015 train attack | iNFOnews.ca
France's President Francois Hollande, left, applauds Francoise Rudetzki, former head of "SOS attentats" (SOS attacks), an association of victims of terrorism, right, and French-American Mark Mooligan, center, after they were awarded with the Legion of Honor, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. Mooligan, 52, a French-American who was among the heroes who stopped a gunman on a high-speed train in 2015, and was wounded after grabbing his assault rifle. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)

PARIS – President Francois Hollande has bestowed a Legion of Honor award on a French-American who was among passengers who stopped a gunman on a high-speed train in 2015, and was wounded after grabbing his assault rifle.

Mark Moogalian, 52, was honoured on Thursday at the Elysee Palace. He was hospitalized when three Americans and a British man who overpowered Moroccan suspect, Ayoub El-Khazzani, were honoured.

Moogalian grabbed an assault rifle from El-Khazzani then was shot with a handgun.

Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone, U.S. Army Spc. Alek Skarlatos, their friend Anthony Sadler and Briton Chris Norman received the honour in August 2015, shortly after the drama. A Frenchman who asked to remain anonymous also was honoured.

Moogalian, a musician and teacher, has lived in France for more than two decades.

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