Tacoma Bus Driver Flips Out, Attacks Armed Photographer for Taking Pictures

TACOMA, WA – Scott Shimek of Rogue Reflections Photography was on his way catch a bus to work this past Friday when he suddenly found himself in a street fight with an Intercity Transit bus driver who took offense to Shimek recording him.

As Shimek made his way to his bus stop a voice can be heard from a distance, “why are you taking pictures?” Shimek then pans his camera over to find a man, who was later identified as a Intercity Bus driver, hiding his face while approaching the camera.

You fucking take my picture and I will lay you out, son of a bitch!

The man was quickly becoming increasingly hostile and within seconds started to approach Shimek in what would have likely been a physical assault. However, before any altercation took place, Shimek spit out his coffee on the man, and repeatedly told the man to “get out of my face.” Shimek can be seen retreating from the threat, but the man wanted to fight. With his fists in air, the bus driver can be heard saying “come on mother fucker” and “come on boy.” At this point, video goes shaky but according to the video’s description, Shimek was able to restrain the crazed government employee.

I held him in a headlock to prevent him from being able to continue his attack. I made sure to give him loud, simple and representative verbal commands. I did this for his sake as well as as mine….for any witnesses who would be nearby.

His whining about me spitting on him was about the mouthful of coffee that I just took a sip of. When I saw he was rapidly approaching me, I believed his threatened attack was now imminent. I was not going to try to take this crazy man down with a mouthful of hot coffee and risk burning my throat or choking on it in a fight.

The bus driver eventually broke free which ended the physical portion of the altercation. Luckily Shimek was able to gain physical control of this crazed lunatic as he was legally carrying a holstered firearm. If the man made any attempt to gain control of the weapon, or if Shimek was ever in fear of bodily injury, the situation could have ended with shots fired. Luckily the situation ended when it did.

Nevertheless, cops were called to the premises where they cited and released the bus driver for unknown charges. Shimek was later trespassed from Pierce Transit property for “Purposefully causing a disturbance,” even after police determined he was not at fault.

Shimek is a right to record and open carry activist based in Washington state who is no stranger to challenging authority.