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Suspect Jumps Atop SEPTA El Train, Leaping Onto Second Moving Train In Philadelphia

By Walt Hunter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- SEPTA Police say a 16-year-old suspect risked his life Monday afternoon, jumping atop a Market-Frankford El train at the Erie-Torresdale Station, then leaping onto a second moving train as it pulled in.

Surveillance video, first seen in an Exclusive CBS 3 Report, shows frantic passengers pointing to the suspect, and screaming to him as he hops from train to train, then climbs down onto the platform.

Inspector Steve Harold says the suspect threatened to "punch a SEPTA cashier in the face" during a fare dispute, wrestling with officers then slipping away, jumping a turnstile and running down the platform with officers in pursuit.

The suspect, who CBS 3 is not identifying because of his age, then slipped between cars, and climbed onto the roof of the stopped train, bounding onto the second train as it arrived. The surveillance video then shows the suspect pounding on the door of the train, trying to get inside. When he can't, he takes off again, before being caught nearby.

Police rushed the suspect to the hospital where it was determined he suffered no serious injuries.

Inspector Harold says he could easily have slipped from the roof of the cars, falling between the trains, under their wheels, or onto the deadly, electrically charged third rail.

The Inspector added that the suspect, who now faces a long list of charges, apologized to police, explaining he had a problem with authority figures.

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