Four injured in Ohio machete attack, police kill suspect

(Reuters) – 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 43-year-olds – three men and one woman – all of whom 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 he believed his business was targeted because of his Israeli descent.

“Obviously we were targeted because there’s a whole bunch of businesses around here,” Hany Baransi, who is from Israel, was reported as saying, “I’m the only foreigner.”

Columbus and federal officials are investigating the assault, police-involved shooting, suspect and possible motives, Kim Jacobs, Columbus police chief, told reporters on Friday.

Police said the officer who shot the suspect was John Johnson, a 25-year veteran assigned to the patrol bureau.

The suspect had walked into the restaurant and argued with an employee before leaving, returning with the machete a short time later and attacking customers, according to police.

Barry fled and police caught up with him about four miles away as he exited a vehicle armed with a machete and a knife, police said in a statement.

Officers first used a Taser and were unsuccessful in trying to subdue Barry and then shot him multiple times when he lunged at an officer, police said.

Restaurant staff and customers did not recognize the man, Columbus police spokesman Sergeant Rich Weiner said.

(Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago; Editing in Bill Trott and Steve Orlofsky)

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