Rider arrested for pulling gun on train near downtown Puyallup
An 18-year-old man is accused of taking out a loaded gun inside a commuter train Thursday after he was asked to throw away the alcohol he was drinking.
Prosecutors charged the man with first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, minor exhibiting effects of having consumed liquor, unlawful transit conduct and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, according to court records.
The man appeared for an arraignment at the Pierce County Superior Court on Friday afternoon where a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille set bail at $5,000, court documents show.
Details of the incident from charging documents
Officers were dispatched to the Sounder Transit station in the 200 block of West Stewart Avenue for a report that a man with a face tattoo pulled out a gun on the train, cocked it and put it in his pocket. People were alarmed, and the train stopped at the station.
The man complied to officers’ demands to get on the ground, documents show. He was detained, and a pistol was found in his clothing. A live round was ejected from the chamber of the pistol. Officers also found a 10-round magazine in the pistol with eight more live rounds.
Documents show officers smelled a distinct odor of intoxicants coming from the man’s breath. He allegedly was slurring his words and “appeared uneasy on his feet.”
A security officer with Sound Transit told police he was patrolling the train, which was travelling from Tacoma to Seattle. He saw the man acting erratically and drinking alcohol. The officer told the man he was not allowed to drink alcohol on the train and asked him to get rid of it, according to court documents.
The officer told police the man threw the drink away and sat back down before he got up to walk around the train. He suddenly took out the pistol from his pants, documents show. The security officer got all the riders on the train to get off before he called 911 out of security concerns
Documents show officers found a white substance in the man’s pocket after he alleged he had “molly.” A test later showed the substance tested positive for MDMA, also known as ecstasy.
The man was arrested and booked into the Pierce County Jail.
Prosecutors say the man has three felony convictions, including second-degree assault and drive-by shooting.
