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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 (6 km)
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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