KATU crew records man with a gun being chased near MAX
PORTLAND, Ore. – Within minutes of arriving at a MAX station Friday night while working on a story about TriMet safety, a KATU news crew videotaped a man with a gun being chased.
A volunteer safety patrol group spotted what police said was likely a gun sale at or near the Lloyd Center MAX stop at about 5:30.
The Guardian Angels, which has no connection with TriMet or Portland police, tried to detain the two men when one of them took off running. They gave chase.
At about the same time, a KATU News crew just happened to be arriving, heard men yelling, "Stop!" and observed a man running toward the Lloyd Center Cinemas carrying a gun.
The KATU photographer immediately began videotaping the incident.
The video shows the man in a gray sweatshirt, with what appears to be the words "AM Eagle Central Athl," being chased by the two safety patrol volunteers. The man, who appears to be in his early 20s, can clearly be seen carrying a handgun. While running, he puts the gun in his sweatshirt pocket.
The Guardian Angels, in their distinctive white sweatshirts and red berets are seen chasing the man, but he eventually outruns them.
Police are still looking for the man and said they will be using KATU's video as part of their investigation.
Witnesses told KATU News that the man with the gun was on the MAX train before the incident and was in a fight. But police have not confirmed that information.
While it was just a coincidence a KATU News crew captured the incident on camera, it's another example why some riders are concerned about crime.
"It's upsetting. There's too much going on right now on the MAXs," said Jillian Murphy who said she witnessed the man with the gun get into a fist fight on the train. "I have to take it sometimes. I have to go home. I don't get home until midnight. It makes me worried; it's nerve-racking. It shouldn't be happening."
Others said the recent incidents don't make them think twice about taking MAX and they still feel safe.
Statistics support the idea that attacks are rare. There were 41 million trips taken in 2010. In that time 77 assaults were reported. That means for every 1 million trips there were less than two assaults.
View 2011 statistics
But not every incident is reported and others are barely avoided. Take Christina Rivera’s experience:
"They just freaked out and wanted to fight me, and I'm like, 'I'm not fighting with my kid sitting right here,'" she said.
"The kids now a days out there, just doing these random acts – it's crazy, and I don't want it around my kids," said another MAX rider.
Even TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch acknowledges it happens and TriMet is responding accordingly.
"Given these type of activities, they're going to be targeting and changing up their deployment a bit to deal with these type of incidents ... and really to send the message that transit police are going to be out looking for these kind of activities," she said.
Click the "Play Video" button above to watch the unedited video. Warning: The video contains expletives.
Watch KATU reporter Erica Nochlin's 11 p.m. report on this story