Man was punched, kicked by 4 suspects in assault on Pierce Transit bus, deputies say
Pierce County Sheriff’s Department detectives are working to identify four teenagers suspected of punching and kicking a 55-year-old man on a Pierce Transit bus in what deputies described as an unprovoked assault.
The Dec. 3 incident occurred as the bus went north on Pacific Avenue from Spanaway, the Sheriff’s Department said on social media. Sgt. Darren Moss said the bus driver pulled over while the attack unfolded and radioed dispatchers for help. The man’s assailants were gone by the time patrol deputies arrived.
Six or seven other people were on the bus at the time, Moss said. He said the attack occurred in a span of seconds.
The victim did not have to be taken to a hospital to be treated. Moss said the suspects exited the bus once it stopped near the intersection of Tule Lake Road in Parkland, and one person pointed a handgun at the man as he left. Deputies determined that the suspects boarded the bus at a Walmart in Spanaway at about 5:07 p.m.
It’s unclear what led to the assault. Moss said nothing was taken from the man, and he didn’t recognize the teenagers who hit him.
Surveillance video from the bus captured images of the assault suspects, and the Sheriff’s Department is seeking help from the public to identify them. Anyone with information was asked to contact deputies on social media or to submit a tip through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
This story was originally published December 7, 2022 at 3:00 PM.
