Man cited for not paying Link fare makes scene, gets trampled as he hops on another train

SEATTLE -- A video that shows Sound Transit fare enforcement officers trampling a man on a Link light rail train is circulating on Twitter, but as is often the case, there's more to the story, according to the King County Sheriff's Office.

The Twitter user, @SeattleGAK, accuses the officers of tackling a man to the ground for simply failing to pay his fare on the southbound train, then calls out the officers for stomping on the man's glasses.

Sgt. Ryan Abbott, a King County Sheriff's Office spokesman, clarified that the incident began earlier on the northbound train, where the man was cited for failing to pay his fare. He was allowed to continue riding on the train, per Sound Transit policy.

"Everything seemed fine at first," Abbott said.

Abbott said soon after, the man started swearing, yelling and making a scene. He got off the train at the next stop and continued to yell and use foul language before jumping on the southbound train.

A sergeant followed him onto the southbound train and tried to calm him down, but he continued swearing and yelling at officers. He then grabbed onto a pole.

Officers told him to exit the train and warned that he would be arrested if he didn't stop screaming.

The man reportedly refused to cooperate, which is when they tried to arrest him. A struggle ensued, and officers eventually got him on the ground and handcuffed him, Abbott said.

The suspect was not injured, according to Abbott, and the glasses that were broken in the scuffle belonged to one of the officers -- not the man who was arrested.

He allegedly continued yelling and resisting officers even after he was handcuffed.

The man was booked for unlawful transit conduct and resisting arrest.