Less than a week after his actions were credited with saving the lives of customers at the grocery store where he works, Lassana Bathily has learned that France wants to give him citizenship.
Citing Bathily's "act of bravery," Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve says France will expedite a citizenship application that Bathily filed last July. The minister will also head Bathily's naturalization ceremony next Tuesday.
More than 300,000 people have signed an online petition calling for Bathily to be made a citizen — and for him to be awarded the Legion of Honor.
Like Amedy Coulibaly, the man who authorities say carried out the deadly attack in Paris, Bathily is a Muslim with ties to Mali. At first, the similarities between them led police to believe Bathily was the gunman. They handcuffed him for more than an hour. But as many have since learned, there was a wide gulf of difference between Bathily and Coulibaly.
As we reported Monday, Bathily, 24, escaped from the Hyper Casher grocery after taking quick action to help customers elude the violence that left several people dead.
Later, Bathily told France 24 TV that the market is the heart of what has become "a second family" for him.
Here's how NPR's Lauren Frayer described the actions that have made Bathily a hero to many:
Latest Stories
-
“I am the Austrian team boss with all my heart,” Rangnick turns down Bayern
10 mins -
Failed asylum seeker given £3,000 to go to Rwanda
12 mins -
Nigerian gasoline prices soar as shortages worsen cost of living crisis
31 mins -
Paris 2024: We will win medal at Olympics if government invests more – GPC President
36 mins -
Akufo-Addo calls for protection of Ghana’s democratic reputation and identity
38 mins -
Apple working to fix alarming iPhone issue
39 mins -
‘You won’t win GPL title without your own stadium’ – Bashir Hayford tells Kotoko, Hearts
43 mins -
Ryan Garcia denies using performance-enhancing drugs after beating Devin Haney
55 mins -
We must change phenomenon of moneyed elections – Raymond Atuguba
56 mins -
Accra Lions punished us for not taking our chances – Hearts of Oak assistant coach Abdul Bashiru
60 mins -
Biosafety Authority welcomes court’s dismissal of application seeking injunction on approval of 14 GMOs
1 hour -
Adaklu-Tevikpo murder suspect arrested from hideout
1 hour -
Asante artefacts return: Reawakening of Asante’s Soul
1 hour -
ECG attributes May 1 dumsor to rainstorm
1 hour -
Armed robbers attack Mobile Money agent in broad daylight at Tumu
2 hours