Would-be carjacker 'jumped in, started punching me ... yelling, I'm going to kill you!'

SEATTLE -- With the help of some good Samaritans, police arrested a carjacking suspect in Seattle’s Sodo district Wednesday.

Officers responded to several 911 calls stating that a man dragged a woman out of her car near 7th Place and South Forest Street. Witnesses told police the suspect threatened the woman with a box cutter. Her co-workers and other people stepped in to scare off the 30-year-old suspect.

Witnesses say the man ran down the street and tried to get inside Paul Klumper’s van.

“This guy just jumped in, started punching me, and started yelling, 'I’m going to kill you!” Klumper said.

Several people, including Duane Church, immediately pulled the man off Klumper and pinned him to the ground until police arrived.

“I knew if we didn’t do something, then who knew how many people were going to get hurt,” said Church.

The woman driver and Klumper were not hurt in the incident.



Police said initial reports that the suspect pulled a knife on a bus driver were unfounded.

The suspect was booked into King County Jail for investigation of assault.