A French police officer patrols at Gare du Nord train station in Paris, France. Photo / AP
Mark Moogalian, a 51-year-old professor at the Sorbonne, was the first passenger to wrestle with Ayoub El-Khazzani.
Moogalian, who lives in Paris but is originally from Midlothian, Virginia, in the United States, is the previously unnamed man who came to the aid of "Damien A", 28, a French banker who
confronted El-Khazzani.
The academic acted instinctively to protect his wife, Isabella Risacher, who was also on board the Thalys train.
He grabbed the assault rifle off El-Khazzani, who then drew a sidearm and shot him in the neck before taking back the rifle, his sister has revealed.
Three other US citizens including two military personnel, and Chris Norman, a British businessman, then stepped in to overpower the assailant.
