Federal Way man charged with shooting on Metro bus in Kent

King County prosecutors have charged a 22-year-old Federal Way man with first-degree assault and second-degree assault in connection with the April 20 shooting on a Metro bus in Kent.

The shooting allegedly occurred because another man partially sat on the Federal Way man’s leg or bumped into him on the bus, according to charging papers filed May 9.

Roy Purcell Jackson is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges May 23 at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. He is in custody at the Regional Justice Center on $1 million bail.

A 24-year-old SeaTac man was critically injured after gunshots were fired on a bus at about 6 p.m. April 20 in the 20600 block of 108th Avenue Southeast. Jackson faces the first-degree assault charge for shooting the SeaTac man and the second-degree assault for pointing a gun at the bus driver.

“Unprovoked, the defendant shot the victim on a Metro bus in front of innocent civilian witnesses,” wrote Karissa Taylor, senior deputy prosecutor, in a request for the high bail. “The defendant fled the bus by threatening the bus driver at gunpoint to open the doors. He then fled, shedding clothing and throwing the gun in a dumpster.”

Kent Police received anonymous tips that led to the arrest of Jackson, according to charging papers. Police had released photos of a suspect to law enforcement agencies and the media that helped lead to Jackson’s arrest.

Kent Police arrested Jackson May 6 after they were conducting surveillance of a residence in southwest Federal Way, according to a Kent Police media release.

Officers followed a suspicious vehicle seen leaving the residence to a nearby fast food restaurant. Within minutes, a person matching Jackson’s description was seen leaving the restaurant and entering a different car. The car left the area and was followed for short distance before officers stopped it. They discovered Jackson inside the car with several other occupants.

In the April 20 shooting, the SeaTac man was on the bus with three friends when he made his way to the back of the bus where he ended up either bumping into or partially sitting on another bus rider’s leg, according to charging papers. That bus rider was later identified as Jackson.

The incident led to a brief argument and shots were fired. Jackson then reportedly went to the front of the bus, pointed a gun at the driver and told her to open the door, which the driver did.

The SeaTac man told detectives he also had seen Jackson, who he did not know, on April 18 at the Tukwila light rail station. He said they had exchanged unpleasant words for some unknown reason. He told detectives the man had the same clothes on the day of the shooting as he had during their first encounter.

Shortly after the shooting, police recovered a handgun, cell phone, black jacket with NFL patches, red hat and black glove that they allege Jackson threw away after the incident.

According to charging papers, Jackson has adult convictions for second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm in 2009; obstruction in 2009; residential burglary and fourth-degree assault in 2008; and reckless driving in 2007. He also has juvenile convictions for obstruction and fourth-degree assault in 2006; second-degree robbery in 2004; and fourth-degree assault in 2002.