Watch CBS News

Relatives Proud Of 2 Calif. Residents Who Subdued Gunman In France Train Attack

SACRAMENTO (AP) — Relatives of the three Americans who tackled and disarmed a gunman on a European train say they are proud of the men and relieved they weren't killed during those chaotic moments onboard a high-speed train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris.

Tony Sadler says his son, Anthony Sadler, called him to tell him what happened. He says he was stunned and then relieved his 23-year-old son was not injured or killed.

Sadler and two Sacramento-area friends, Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos, helped subdue the man carrying a handgun and an assault rifle.

British national Chris Norman, who lives in France, was aboard the train and also stepped in to help.

The gunman slashed Stone several times with a box cutter. His mother, Joyce Eskel, tells the San Francisco Chronicle her son called her from the hospital and told her that the gunman also tried to shoot him twice but the weapon didn't work.

Eskel says "he's always been a hero to me. Now he's an actual hero."

Skarlatos' step-mother Karen Skarlatos tells the AP from Oregon that Skarlatos finished a deployment in Afghanistan in July and was home in the U.S. for about 10 days before taking a vacation to Europe.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.