Lassana Bathily: Meet The Hero Who Hid Shoppers In Freezer At Jewish Deli When Islamic Gunmen Raided Market

Lassana Bathily is now considered a hero for his courageous acts and quick thinking that saved innocent lives when a Jewish deli was raided by Islamic gunmen just days ago. Needless to say, customers were terrified they’d never set foot outside of the Hyper Cacher supermarket in Porte de Vincennes, Paris, but the 24-year-old deli worker made sure no one was compromised during the horrific raid.

According to the Telegraph U.K., Bathily led customers into a deep freezer to ensure they did not die. But, that’s not all! He also considered the freezing temperatures inside the freezer and opted to shut it off for the comfort of those inside. Then, he locked them in for their safety.

During a recent interview with BFMTV, Bathily recounted his heroic act, explaining how he came up with the quick idea that led 15 people to safety.

“I went down to the freezer, I opened the door, there were several people who went in with me. I turned off the light and the freezer… I brought them inside and I told them to stay calm here, I’m going to go out. When they got out, they thanked me.”

Then, he reportedly made strides to escape from the store in an effort to find help. However, he ran into a bit of a problem when he was stopped by police. Apparently, they initially thought he was a suspect, so his encounter with local authorities didn’t start off too well. He also shared details about that experience, too.

“They told me, get down on the ground, hands over your head… They cuffed me and held me for an hour and a half as if I was with them.”

Bathily’s story has touched the hearts of many around the world. Despite the horrific shooting events that took place, Bathily’s courageous efforts served as a silver lining because of the lives he saved.

[Image via YouTube]