Fear among expatriates in Houston after attack in France

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - It looks like a typical busy afternoon at Flo Paris on Westheimer Road but for Chef Phillipe Schmit, it's anything but. Every spare moment he's been glued to the television trying to learn more about what happened it his homeland.

“Obviously my heart goes out to the families of the victims," says Schmit. "It tears me apart the most because this happened on our independence day.” He trails off when thinking about those who are still clinging to life.

The details of the attack are still emerging. The number of fatalities continues to increase and questions keep coming up.

Who was behind this and why?

Schmit says he knows the police can't be everywhere, that an attack by a lone wolf in a truck can be impossible to predict and difficult to stop. For those reasons, he thinks life in France has forever changed. 

Everyone likes to claim that life goes on, we have to do our own business," adds Schmit. "But I don't think this is anymore. Life has changed and we will have to be extremely careful."

And how will life in France change? Schmit believes that this attack might push the country to the right politically. It could increase calls to follow Britain out of the European Union. He also believes this and other recent terrorist attacks will also hurt the extremely-important tourism sector.

Schmit says France has bled so much at the hands of terrorists lately, but will it bleed again?

“I think by asking that question, you already know the answer," says Schmit. "You know that it's not. That's what we have to worry about.”

Some good news. A Flo Paris employee from Nice is home on vacation. He’s unhurt.