Rantz: Shocking response after man smoked drugs on Sound Transit
Nov 11, 2024, 5:55 PM | Updated: Nov 12, 2024, 10:34 am
Sound Transit had a shocking response after a musician witnessed a man freebasing drugs onboard a train headed to SeaTac Airport. (Photos courtesy of Matt Bacnis)
(Photos courtesy of Matt Bacnis)
When Bothell musician Matt Bacnis boarded the Sound Transit light rail train from Lynnwood to Seattle Tacoma International Airport, he wasn’t exactly surprised to see a man openly freebasing what looked like fentanyl or meth. What shocked him was Sound Transit security’s response.
Bacnis was on his way to the airport to catch a flight back to Nashville, where he now lives. But as soon as he stepped onto the light rail train, he was met with a sight all too familiar to regular Sound Transit riders: drugs consumed in the open.
“I took the hyped-up train thinking I’d save some people from driving me in traffic and that was the first thing that happened when we sat down,” Bacnis told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.
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What happened after a man started freebasing drugs on Sound Transit?
The unidentified man, whom Bacnis photographed, pulled out what appeared to be a freebasing kit, similar to what Public Health of Seattle-King County hands out for free to drug users: a sheet of tin foil, a straw and a lighter.
An addict burns the drug of choice, usually fentanyl or meth, on the tin foil before inhaling the smoke through a straw. By placing a straw near the drug when it’s heated, addicts can capture and inhale more of the drug, helping them achieve a stronger and faster high.
“This guy, who was wearing a skeleton anime mask, got on the train in Lynnwood and sat down a few rows away from me and pulled out the tinfoil and started smoking one minute into the ride,” Bacnis explained.
Bacnis immediately reached out to Sound Transit security. What happened next was truly shocking.
An addict burns the drug of choice, usually fentanyl or meth, on the tin foil before inhaling the smoke through a straw. (Photo courtesy of Matt Bacnis)
Security to the rescue
Bacnis texted the Sound Transit Security Desk about the passenger who was “doing hard drugs in the back car of the train, just left Lynnwood Transit Center.” He received an automated response explaining security would be with him shortly and that he should call 911 if this was an emergency.
The security desk service asked which light rail train he was on and he explained.
“It smells in here, what do I do?” Bacnis asked.
Security responded by saying staff had been alerted and that he is “more than welcome to go into another (train) if the smell is bad in the current on you are in.”
Sound Transit introduced a 24/7 text line for riders to report suspicious or disruptive behavior, aiming to improve transit safety in real-time after years of complaints from riders about unsafe conditions. Riders can now send detailed messages, including the train car number and nearest station, to expedite security responses. The service encourages quick reporting to minimize delays and address incidents promptly.
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A Sound Transit service that actually works?
The text line service came after months of riders saying Sound Transit security wasn’t really addressing any of the on-board problems. It’s precisely why the response from Sound Transit security was so shocking.
Within three stops, three Sound Transit security staff boarded the train. Bacnis was pleasantly surprised.
“They were looking around the train and I waved one of them over and showed them my phone (the picture [of the man freebasing].) They then walked over and said they caught him on camera smoking and they had to come with them off the train. They said ‘We’ll show you the footage when we get off.’ The guy didn’t really fight it because he was obviously (high), but it happened pretty fast,” Bacnis explained.
The drug use problem, driven by homeless addicts, became unbearable after Sound Transit board members stopped fare enforcement. They argued it was racist because too many “riders of color” were getting ticketed for not paying the fare.
Sound Transit enforcement boarded the train and had the man come off with them. (Photo courtesy of Matt Bacnis)
Surprise, surprise
Count “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH surprised by the quick response and successful interaction, as well.
I’ve seen a number of Sound Transit security staff do absolutely nothing when homeless people are passed out, sprawled across the train, taking up seats. When one staff member told a couple of homeless people to stop freebasing at a Sound Transit stop, they ignored him and then started smoking their drug of choice when he walked away.
That Sound Transit security responded so quickly is deserving of our plaudits. It shows that, at least sometimes, Sound Transit takes these issues seriously.
Sound Transit interim CEO Goran Sparrman took over when CEO Julie Timm resigned to take a job on the East Coast. Timm routinely ignored the crime, homelessness, and drug use that was rampant on light rail, often posting on social media about her wonderful experiences as a rider, while downplaying customer complaints.
Sparrman is even addressing the oft-complained about perpetually-broken escalators and elevators. But if you want to see me truly shocked by the transportation agency’s performance, it’ll have to wait until the new equipment is installed as they promise.
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