A Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) officer encountered violence and was stabbed on today. The altercation occurred around 11:30 a.m. at the Gallery Place station. The officer was enforcing bus fares, when an individual suspected of fare evasion was stopped, as reported by WUSA9.
The incident unfolded as officers were trying to crack down on fare evaders, a problem Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority states is rampant, with 70% of Metrobus riders reportedly not paying. The suspected fare evader, upon being stopped by the MTPD officers, pulled out a knife and stabbed the arresting officer in the wrist while trying to flee the scene, as outlined in the WUSA9 report. "Our campaign is pretty simple," WMATA CEO Randy Clarke said last month. "Your fares pay for service, because that’s what it does."
According to a report by FOX5DC, after being stabbed, the MTPD officer was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. A brief foot chase ensued, following which the suspect was detained by officers, with assistance from D.C. police. The weapon used in the attack was also recovered.
NBC Washington reported that in response to the wave of fare evasion, Randy Clarke announced last month measures to enhance enforcement. "We've heard loud and clear from people. It's something that we are working on. So, starting the week after Thanksgiving, we are going to go after the bus system much more significantly," he explained. Officers were deployed at station bus bays, like those at Silver Spring, to ensure compliance — positioning themselves by the doors, and the rule was simple: no payment, no entry.
