Machete attack in US restaurant injures 4
Police shoot and kill man who had argued with restaurant worker before attack
Police shot and killed a machete-wielding man who injured four people at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, police said on Friday.
Police identified the suspect in the Thursday night attack as 30-year-old Mohamed Barry.
The four victims were a 54-year-old man, who remained in critical condition, and three men and one woman, all aged 43, who had injuries that were not life-threatening.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting Columbus police in the investigation, said Supervisory Special Agent Rick Smith of FBI's Cincinnati division.
The owner of the Nazareth Restaurant & Deli told the Columbus Dispatch newspaper that he believed his business was targeted because he was of Israeli descent.
"Obviously, we were targeted because there's a whole bunch of businesses around here. I'm the only foreigner," Mr Hany Baransi, who is from Israel, was reported as saying.
INVESTIGATING
Columbus and federal officials are investigating, Columbus police chief, Ms Kim Jacobs, told reporters on Friday.
Police said the officer who shot the suspect was Mr John Johnson, a 25-year veteran assigned to the patrol bureau.
The suspect had walked into the restaurant and had argued with an employee before leaving.
A short time later, he returned with the machete and attacked customers, said the police.
The attacker then fled and police caught up with him about 6km away, as he got out of a vehicle armed with a machete and a knife, police said in a statement.
Officers first used a Taser, but were unable to subdue him. They shot him multiple times when he lunged at an officer, police said.
Restaurant staff and customers did not recognise the man, Columbus police spokesman Sergeant Rich Weiner said.
- Reuters
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