Armenian-American Mark Moogalian, one of the heroes, who helped tackle gunman Ayoub El-Khazzani on August 21 aboard the Amsterdam-Paris train, was handed a Legion of Honour at the Élysée.

French President Francois Hollande hosted Moogalian and his wife at the Élysée yesterday.

During the high-speed train ride, Moogalian tackled El-Khazzani, who was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle. It is reported that he instinctively acted to protect his wife Isabella Risacher, and managed to take the assault rifle away from El-Khazzani. The assailant drew another gun and shot Moogalian in the neck, revealed the professor’s sister, who was also on the train.

Moogalian’s heroism, along with the actions of Americans Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone, and Anthony Sadler, and Briton Chris Norman, helped save many lives. Skarlatos, Stone, Sadler, and Norman were awarded the Legion d’Honneur, soon after the attack. Hollande had announced that he would award Moogalian the Legion d’Honneur once he had recuperated.