A man armed with a machete attacked patrons at a restaurant owned by an Israeli immigrant in Columbus, Ohio, Thursday.
The attacker, who injured four people, was later shot and killed by police.
Local WBNS-10 TV reported that the attack occurred at the Nazareth Restaurant around 6 p.m. Thursday. The attacker, identified by multiple news sources as Mohamed Barry, entered the restaurant, spoke with an employee, and left before returning about 30 minutes later when he began to attack patrons, police said.
According to witnesses, the suspect initially entered the restaurant looking for the owner and, when he wasn’t there, left. The restaurant is owned by Hany Baransi, an Israeli immigrant to the United States. Reuters, citing the restaurant owner’s daughter, reported that Baransi originates from Haifa.
Approximately 20 people, including two children, were inside the restaurant when it came under attack.
At least four people were being treated at hospitals for their injuries.
The attacker fled the scene in his car, but police were able to corner him miles from the restaurant. The suspect then got out of his car wielding a machete and a knife and lunged at the officers, leading police to shoot him.
It remains unclear if the attacker targeted the restaurant because of the owner’s ethnicity.
The FBI is helping to investigate the incident, CNN reported.