Machete-Wielding Man Shot Dead by Police After Attack in Ohio Restaurant

Updated | Ohio police shot and killed a machete-wielding man in Columbus after he entered a restaurant and began attacking people at random.

Columbus police said officers were sent to Nazareth Restaurant and Deli just after 6 p.m. on Thursday in response to reports that a man was attacking people inside with a machete. Four people were injured in the attack. They were treated at a nearby hospital in central Ohio, where two were listed as being in stable condition and another was in critical condition. The fourth person drove himself to the hospital, police say.

CBS News reports that the attacker has been identified as Mohammed Barry, although this has not been confirmed by officials. CBS News also reported that Barry has a Somali background and that officials think he was trying to carry out a "lone wolf" terrorist attack. CBS News adds that he may have traveled to Dubai in 2012. The FBI told Newsweek on Monday that Barry, 30, is from the West African county of Guinea.

Police at first were unsuccessful in attempting to stop the suspect in his car after he fled the scene on Thursday. Later, the suspect's car was stopped and he exited holding a knife and a machete. A Taser was used against the suspect, and then police shot him multiple times as he lunged at officers.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. No officers were injured and a machete and a knife were found at the scene.

Columbus Police Sergeant Rich Weiner told reporters on Thursday night that "there was no rhyme or reason as to who he was going after." He added that some restaurant customers threw chairs at the attacker and employees also tried to subdue him. Nazareth Restaurant and Deli is a Middle Eastern restaurant that has served Columbus for 20 years, according to its website.

"Right now there's nothing to believe that this was anything other than a random attack," said Weiner.

Witnesses told Ohio's 10TV that the attacker entered the restaurant and asked for the owner, and left when he was told the owner wasn't available. The attacker re-entered the restaurant half an hour later and began attacking people with a machete. 10TV adds that the restaurant embraces both Jewish and Arab cultures, and participates in local international festivals.

Hany Baransi, the owner of the restaurant, is a native Israeli and believes his business was targeted in the attack. In December, an individual named Hany Baransi filed a police report alleging "menacing" at the same address as the Nazareth Restaurant and Deli, according to Columbus police files.

The FBI is helping with the investigation, which is ongoing.