Ohio Police Kill Man Who Attacked Restaurant Diners With Machete

"There was no rhyme or reason as to who he was going after."

(Reuters) - Police in Columbus, Ohio, shot and killed a machete-wielding man on Thursday after he entered a restaurant and wounded several patrons, one critically, officials said.

Police were called to the Nazareth Restaurant on the northeast side at about 6 p.m. EST, after reports an armed man was attacking people in the building.

The suspect fled and police caught up with him about five miles away, authorities said. He was armed with a machete and knife and lunged at a police officer before he was fatally shot, media said, citing law enforcement officials.

At least five people inside the Middle Eastern-food restaurant were hurt, including one person who was in critical condition, officials said.

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, police said.

The attack appeared to be random.

"There was no rhyme or reason as to who he was going after,” Columbus Police Department spokesman Sergeant Rich Weiner told WCMH-TV.

The FBI was also investigating, the Columbus Dispatch newspaper reported. Weiner said that restaurant employees and customers have said they did not recognize the attacker.

The name of the machete-wielding suspect and the wounded have not been released.

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