Mayor thanks US student who helped thwart France attack

As the train passed through Belgium, the three subdued the gunman, tackling him in the train aisle, grabbing his rifle and tying him up.

Sadler was introduced at the press conference by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson who praised him for his actions in France saying he helped prevent a massacre.

He thanked the crowd of about 200 for its support and promised to speak more about what happened at a later date.

Recalling on ABC News” Good Morning America Friday what ran though his mind when he first saw the gunman and realized his life was in danger, Skarlatos said, “I immediately recognized what was happening, and I just thought, “There is just no way”. I didn’t expect this to happen, but now it’s good to be home. “This is my home… and I am just glad to be back here to see everybody”.

“Anthony desires to share his story with the entire nation”, sad Sadler Sr.

An article published Monday by the French newspaper Le Monde focused on the attitude of the three Americans, exemplified when one, 22-year-old Oregon National Guard specialist Alek Skarlatos, said to his 23-year-old friend, U.S. Air Force Airman First Class Spencer Stone, “Let’s go”.

Minutes after delivering his comments, Sadler was presented with a Sacramento Kings jersey before he quickly left the stage.

The Sacramento State senior was lauded by Johnson as a true hero.

The younger Sadler, who was interviewed by security agencies from France as well as the United States and received the French Legion d’honneur after the incident, stood quietly beside the mayor, a former basketball star.

His father says he will not have to return to France to testify in the gunman’s trial.

The three friends were able to subdue Ayoub El-Khazzani who is known to have ties with a radical Islamic group.

Skarlatos said he didn’t anticipate that there would be much fanfare once police apprehended the gunman on the train.

The friends nearly didn’t get on the Paris-bound train because they considered staying another day in Amsterdam, according to Skarlatos’ brother, Solon. Skarlatos remained with Stone in Germany.

“All the pictures of you over in Europe and you had a Lakers jersey on”, he said.

The Moroccan suspect in a foiled attack on a high-speed train is facing terrorism charges over what authorities say was a plan to unleash carnage among hundreds of passengers. “I couldn’t believe what had taken place and what my son and Spencer and Alek had found themselves involved in in the middle of this great European trip”.