On February 11, 2016, Mohamed Barry, a native of Guinea who was a permanent resident in the United States and had been working in computer programming and information technology, entered the Nazareth Restaurant in Gahanna, Ohio, and began to attack customers with a machete, injuring four.
[3] Barry immediately swung his machete to attack Debbie and Gerald Russell, both 43,[4] who were sitting in a booth near the front of the restaurant.
[2] Jeff Pegues, the homeland security correspondent for CBS News, reported that "law enforcement is concerned that this incident has the hallmarks of the type of so-called 'lone wolf' terrorist attack.
[18] Hany Baransi, the owner and manager of the popular restaurant on North Hamilton Road,[19] describes himself as an Israeli Christian Arab who immigrated to America from Haifa, Israel.
[3][21] Nazareth is known for serving Middle Eastern dishes including shawarma, gyros, lamb kebabs, and stuffed grape leaves.
[23] The Washington Post described Baransi as a "popular local figure" and his restaurant as a "multicultural mingling place"; a painting of a Christian, a Jew, and a Muslim in amicable conversation hangs on the wall.
[27] The restaurant fully reopened at 11:00 a.m. on that day,[28] but it was abruptly closed down again hours later, with a post on social media clarifying that the staff needed more time to recuperate.
[29] In the days immediately after the attack, Baransi announced his belief that his employees were in danger because of his Israeli background and the hatred he and his staff were subsequently subjected to.
He also added that he loved the U.S., but felt it was no longer safe; that local and national officials had not offered support to him, the victims, and his employees and customers; and that he was disappointed the attack was not being recognized as an act of terrorism.
[32][33][34] The restaurant stayed open, although Baransi continued to assert that authorities in Columbus and the United States in general do not take the threat of terrorist sufficiently seriously.