Tinley Park man, 7 family members killed in Egypt bus attack

TINLEY PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- A Tinley Park man, his two sons, a grandchild and other family members, were among 26 people killed Friday in Egypt when an ISIS gunman opened fire on a bus full of Coptic Christians headed to a religious site.

Mohsen Morkous, an American citizen, was killed but his wife Samia Ibrahim, also of Tinley Park, is recovering in a hospital in Egypt after the bus attack near Cairo.

On Saturday, their family in the Chicago area spoke exclusively to ABC7.

"They were travelling to visit Egypt, to visit the family and to go to the blessing places," relative Gerges Morkous told ABC7.

The busload of people were headed to a monastery when the gunmen fired on them from three four-wheel drive vehicles.

Coptic Christians make up just 10 percent of Egypt's population.

"They let out all the men out to be on the ground. They asked them to switch their religion from Christian to Muslim. They said we're not going to leave the Christianity," Morkous said.

The couple attended St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in southwest suburban Monee. The church had a special service for the family on Friday.

"We went to church to pray, to pray to god, for them, and the other family still in Egypt," Morkous said.

"Everything happens for a reason. God has a plan for everyone. Although we are sad that they are no longer with us anymore but we trust they are in a better place," said Father Samuel Azmy, of St. George Coptic Orthodox Church.