OLYMPIA, Wash. — Police said a security officer at the downtown Olympia transit station was punched in the face by a man Thursday. The attack was caught on surveillance video
Police said the suspect, 23 -year-old Milton Halverson, had been going in and out of the bathroom at the station Thursday and the on-duty security officer told him to leave the property because of his suspicious behavior.
Halverson started to leave the area, but then turned around and charged at the security officer, yelling in the officer's face and pushing his head, the video showed.
The officer pushed Halverson away, who then punched the officer in the face several times, according to Olympia police.
Witnesses separated the two, but Halverson continued to punch the officer until he was taken to the ground by another witness, police said. A friend of Halverson pushed the witness off him and they both left the scene.
Officers found the friend and interviewed her about the incident. Police said she confirmed witness reports of the attack.
Officers also reviewed video surveillance from the station that caught the incident on camera.
Another Intercity Transit employee later spotted Halverson walking and officers were able to locate and arrest him.
Halverson was booked into the Thurston County Jail on third-degree assault charges.