Citizens take charge and subdue a gun-wielding robber aboard a Metro bus prior to the arrival of responding officers.

At approximately 6:12 p.m. officers responded to the 6000 block of California Avenue SW for the report of a man with a gun aboard a Metro bus. Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect got onto the bus at 3rd Avenue and Pike Street wearing a nylon stocking mask pulled down over his face. He sat down and kept to himself until the bus reached the 6000 block of California Avenue SW. He then stood up, brandished a handgun and began pointing the gun at people’s heads and robbing them. The suspect had taken the personal property from at least three people when a group of male passengers confronted the suspect and tackled him to the floor, holding him down until officers arrived. Responding officers took the 19-year-old male suspect into custody and placed him in the rear seat of a patrol car. Thankfully, no one was injured during the incident.

Once in the back seat of the police car the suspect became violent again, kicking out the plexiglas window partition in the police car. Officers gained control of the suspect and transferred him to a prisoner transport van.

The suspect was subsequently booked into the King County Jail on three counts of Armed Robbery. Additional charges may be pending.

The suspect’s handgun was recovered at the scene and placed into evidence. This remains an active and on-going robbery investigation.