PHILADELPHIA -
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter spoke Friday about this week's arrest of a heavily-armed man on a crowded SEPTA subway train.
After running down the list of weapons and ammunition the man was arrested with, Nutter said, "What is it, like G.I. Joe or something? I mean, the whole thing is crazy to me."
Bail was increased for the suspect, Jermal Ponds, at a hearing Friday.
Officers say Ponds was carrying a partially-disassembled AK-47 assault rifle in the same compartment as a loaded 40-round magazine, along with a loaded handgun he was not permitted to carry, and a bayonet.
He also had marijuana, $700 in cash and two dozen Percocet pills, which were apparently from a prescription but were not in a labeled container.
Nutter said authorities have been able to hold onto Ponds and keep him off the city's streets, with bail now set at $200,000, and the courts will sort out what happened.
"But certainly the issue that we've been raising, District Attorney Seth Williams and I, is that people with weapons, and certainly illegal weapons, should be held to a much higher standard, much higher bail. We need to pursue folks that have illegal weapons," the mayor said.
He said the suspect's story has changed several times, and none of them make any sense.
"The reality is that if we want a safer city we need to deal with the issue of people carrying illegal weapons on our streets, either on their person, in a bag, purse or whatever the case may be. I think the judge was clearly paying attention to the realities of life in the big city," Nutter said, adding that he's pleased the bail was increased.
As for the citizen who spoke up to report the suspect, Nutter said, "I want to commend that citizens. I don't know who it is, and I don't think they're seeking any public attention or accolades."
Nutter said it goes to the whole "see something, say something" push public officials have made in recent years since the terror attacks.
"That's the epitome of it," the mayor said. "This could have been an horrendous situation, on the subway, no less – a very contained environment, much less room for people to move about if they needed to escape or something like that. So I really appreciate that citizen. They did the right thing, notified the proper authorities."
Nutter also commended SEPTA, its police force and city police for "averting what could have been a disastrous situation."
