Man Arrested After Taking Hostage On MAX Train

PORTLAND, Ore. — A man was arrested after police say he got onto a MAX train with a knife and skewer and took a passenger hostage on Tuesday afternoon.

The suspect just got out of a hospital where police had put him on a mental health hold after getting into an altercation with officers the day before.

Police say 41-year-old Marcus Tate boarded a red line train at the Mount Hood station near Cascade Station and held the passenger hostage.  The operator was forced to take cover in the train’s cabin.

Officers were able to subdue Tate by distracting him using flash bangs.  He faces charges including robbery, coercion, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon, harassment and interfering with public transportation.

The passenger and operator were not injured.

The incident caused several hours of delays on the MAX line.

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