--- title: Anthony Sadler Tells Jimmy Fallon of French Terrorist Attack description: Three weeks ago Anthony Sadler was just an American tourist on a European vacation. Now, he's an American hero chatting with Jimmy Fallon. canonical: https://time.com/4019882/anthony-sadler-jimmy-fallon/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-09-02T12:19:24.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-05T08:31:53.257Z og:title: Anthony Sadler Tells Jimmy Fallon of French Terrorist Attack og:description: Three weeks ago Anthony Sadler was just an American tourist on a European vacation. Now, he's an American hero chatting with Jimmy Fallon. og:url: https://time.com/4019882/anthony-sadler-jimmy-fallon/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0868e4848e196cf4/698861fcf887dc5924e922d1/anthony-sadler-fallon.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 0320 -- Pictured: (l-r) Anthony Sadler during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on September 1, 2015 -- (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Anthony Sadler Tells Jimmy Fallon of French Terrorist Attack twitter:description: Three weeks ago Anthony Sadler was just an American tourist on a European vacation. Now, he's an American hero chatting with Jimmy Fallon. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0868e4848e196cf4/698861fcf887dc5924e922d1/anthony-sadler-fallon.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch American Who Took Down Terrorist on French Train Talk To Jimmy Fallon > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. 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It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=483ec14f-8c7c-430c-8b31-2815cd3205e7&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Late Night Highlight: How Anthony Sadler Told His Dad About French Train Attack [Watch (HLS stream): Late Night Highlight: How Anthony Sadler Told His Dad About French Train Attack](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/50IpmWzH.m3u8) (1:02)  _Published 2015-09-02. Anthony Sadler, one of the American college students who helped thwart that terrifying French train attack, talked to Jimmy Fallon about the event._  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Sep 2, 2015 12:19 PM UTC Anthony Sadler, one of the American college students who helped thwart that terrifying French train attack, talked to Jimmy Fallon about the event.  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Sep 2, 2015 12:19 PM UTC Three weeks ago Anthony Sadler was just an American tourist on a European vacation. Now, he’s an American hero chatting with Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show. “I look back and there’s the gunman just coming in the train cocking an AK,” Sadler told Fallon during his show on Tuesday. “And I was like is this real is someone playing a joke?” Sadler, along with two American friends also traveling on vacation, charged and subdued the terrorist, saving dozens of lives and earning international praise. But Fallon couldn’t allow Sadler’s appearance with landing a few cracks. In addition to discussing Sadler’s heroic actions, Fallon devoted much of the segment to joking about the trio’s time in Amsterdam, where their train originated. The Netherlands capital is known for it’s loose laws allowing drugs and partying. “You’re in Amsterdam because it’s so pretty there?” said Fallon before cracking up laughing. “You’re taking photographs, you’re taking in the art scene there. Of course, that’s what people do in Amsterdam!” ## Transcript [00:00] The American student who helped stop a terror attack [00:02] on a passenger train in Paris visited the Tonight Show. [00:05] Anthony Sadler and two friends took down and [00:08] disarmed a passenger who opened fire on a high [00:10] speed train to Paris. No one was killed. Scary stuff, [00:14] right? He told Jimmy how his dad reacted when he first [00:17] told them about what happened. I was like, well first [00:20] off, I'm okay, I'm fine. I was like, but a [00:24] terrorist was on our train and he actually tried to shoot [00:28] everybody, and me, Spencer and Alec had to jump [00:30] him. And he was like, okay, and [ LAUGH ] Appearing [00:34] on The Tonight Show isn't Anthony's first taste of VIP [00:37] treatment. He and his friends were invited to the Strait [00:40] Outta Compton Premiere for their good deed. And of [00:42] course Anthony was given a warm welcome at his [00:42] hometown church in Sacramento. But [00:47] this could have been a much different story. Anthony [00:50] told Jimmy, we were having so much fun in Amsterdam [00:53] we actually almost stayed. Good thing he got on that [00:57] train. 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