A Man Arrested for Fare Evasion on a Washington, D.C. Metrobus Had a Loaded Shotgun in His Possession
A 30-year-old man was arrested on a Washington, D.C. Metrobus for not paying his fare, and subsequently found to be carrying a loaded shotgun. Gerald Evans was stopped by plain-clothes bus enforcement officers on an X2 route bus at around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday after failing to pay his fare. When officers attempted to issue him a citation, he refused to provide identification and was taken into custody.
During a search, the loaded shotgun was found hidden under Evans’ coat. The gun, which had been reported stolen out of Prince George’s County, Maryland, led to additional charges of possession of a prohibited weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Evans also had an open felony warrant for theft out of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The charges against him also included fare evasion. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority praised the arrest as an example of fare enforcement in action, citing the agency’s efforts to combat fare evasion, which affects nearly 70% of riders.