Amtrak passengers subdue armed man

Trainorders.com ^ | 1/6/03 | MELISSA TRESNER

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Amtrak passengers subdue armed man

By MELISSA TRESNER

BIG SANDY — Passengers aboard an Amtrak train apparently took matters into their own hands Sunday when a man wielding a plastic knife threatened to kill them while screaming profanities against America.

"It could have been a lot worse. The passengers did a fantastic job of restraining him," said Big Sandy Police Chief Ronnie Norman.

According to arrest reports, passengers already had Gerardo Damien Bedia, 21, restrained in an upstairs compartment when Big Sandy Police Officer William Lakes arrived on the scene just before 8 p.m. Sunday.

Amtrak personnel had contacted the agency, reporting a problem with an intoxicated passenger.

Witnesses told police that Bedia, armed with a knife, made threats against other passengers and said that "all Americans will die."

Norman said the knife, described as a black all-plastic polymer folding knife, is typically used to defeat metal detectors.

He said police aren't sure where Bedia resides or where he boarded the train, but his destination was Chicago.

"We haven't been able to determine exactly where he's from. We know he's spent time in Pennsylvania," Norman said.

The chief said Bedia apparently is a U.S. citizen and had Army identification.

According to officer statements, Bedia was screaming "I'll kill you," as well as profanities. He spoke in English as well as Spanish and "some kind of Middle Eastern language," the report states.

Passengers and train personnel were visibly shaken but no one was injured in the incident, Norman said. He said the passengers should be commended for restraining the suspect and compared them to the United Flight 93 passengers, who attempted to overtake their hijackers on Sept. 11, 2001.

Reports show that Bedia repeatedly tried to kick the officer and take his weapon before being placed in custody and later told Lakes he would "die from a bullet to the head."

The train was delayed about 30 minutes while officers took witness statements and took Bedia into custody.

Bedia was transported to the Upshur County Jail where he remained on Monday, charged with making terroristic threats. His bond was set at $10,000.

Norman said case information was forwarded to the FBI for review and wasn't sure if Bedia would face other charges.

http://www.news-journal.com/

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Another terorristic Hispanic nutball like the dirty bomber?

[Miss Marple]

Sounds like it to me. I wonder how they reconized the Middle Eastern language? Perhaps he was screaming "Allah Akhbar".

[MonroeDNA]

Hooray for the great Americans who took this guy down!

More of the same, coming to a station near you.

[rabidralph]

said Big Sandy Police Chief Ronnie Norman.

I find it rather rude and uncalled for that the reporter would describe the police chief as big and sandy.

[snippy_about_it]

bttt

[Rebelbase]

Surely, you jest.

[basil]

I'm curious as to where Big Sandy might be located.

[El Gato]

I wonder how they reconized the Middle Eastern language?

Most of those languages, especially Arabic, sound like a couple of cats with head colds fighting, especially if the speaker is aggitated.

[mountaineer]

BIG SANDY — A man who wielded a plastic knife and threatened to kill passengers aboard an East Texas train has been charged with making a terroristic threat. Gerardo Bedia, 21, was removed from the train and arrested Sunday night in Big Sandy, about 100 miles southeast of Dallas. San Antonio Express

[Experiment 6-2-6]

when a man wielding a plastic knife threatened to kill them while screaming profanities against America.

Just great. I already can't enjoy any true metal utensils up in the comfy seats when I fly, and have to make do with those crappy plastic knives. NOW WATCH THE FAA MAKE THEM ILLEGAL!

Meega, Nala Kweesta!

[BADROTOFINGER]

Big Sandy in Montana, I believe...JFK

[angry elephant]

Hooray for the great Americans who took this guy down!

What would Michael Moore say? Were these some of his scaredy-cat white men who did this?

[El Gato]

I'm curious as to where Big Sandy might be located.

Texas!

About 100 miles east of Dallas on I-20, then 10 miles north of I-20.

[demnomo]

Gosh, were any of the subduers white guys? According to that fat, sniveling, greedy, hypcritical fool Michael Moore, only non-white guys are tough and willing to fight back. In London, over the holidays, Moore had the audacity to mock the victims of 9/11 who didn't overtake the hijackers of the first three planes. Moore said that because the victims were mostly white, they were obviously cowards. Of course, the stinky slob never mentioned the heroes of Flight 93 who were a definite mix of gender, races, etc. and led by a couple of WHITE GUYS because he was too busy being PC, SMUG and playing to his incredibly stupid fans who actually paid to listen to this sort of racist, intolerant, anti-American garbage.

[No Truce With Kings]

". . . said Big Sandy Police Chief Ronnie Norman.

I find it rather rude and uncalled for that the reporter would describe the police chief as big and sandy."

Hey, now! Big Sandy is one of Texas's finest small towns. It is home to Annie's Attic, for those of you into cross-stitch.

The nutcase with the knife make his first mistake by trying something in Texas. The unorganized militia is always ready to answer the call -- just as it did in this case.

[realistic]

Being Texas I'm a little suprised they didn't take him out.

[TaZ]

"Bedia was transported to the Upshur County Jail where he remained on Monday, charged with making terroristic threats. His bond was set at $10,000."

WTF is that? They set bond higher for drunk-driving in some states, and this guy is thought to be a terrorist, even if he is a pathetic excuse of a threat?

Man, the judges in this country have their heads buried in the wrong places, certainly couldn't be in historical precedents...

[MonroeDNA]

Man, what was with this Moore guy, anyway? There are sooo many comments we all could say, but what was that all about?

Color me ignorant, but nobody knows what they would do, prior too something evil.

Color me ignorant, but after 9-11, we ALL would do whatever it takes to take down whomever, on an airplane, or boat, or car, or subway, or, or...

[LibKill]

After everything that has happened, causing a disturbance of any kind on a public transport will definately draw an immediate response from your fellow passengers.

I bet his butt is sore from being kicked.

[Eala]

I find it rather rude and uncalled for that the reporter would describe the police chief as big and sandy.

Laddy, I dinna ken that that is sooch a bad thing, ye ken?