Armed Suspect Arrested Near University of Washington Campus Appeared Angry
ByA Nevada man arrested near the University of Washington (UW) campus while heavily armed has been charged in Seattle, NBC News reported.
Justin Jasper, 21, arrested last week on suspicion of possession of incendiary devices has was charged with possessing an incendiary device, two stolen guns and a stolen truck. He also had three maps to Seattle college campuses, knives and a machete in his possession.
He also appeared to be angry, a prosecutor said, a he is being held on $2 million bail.
"He appeared to be angry about several international political events," the King County Prosecutor's office said in a statement late Tuesday night Pacific Time.
According to the Seattle Times, Jasper was booked without incident one week ago after UW police happened upon him while he was asleep in the truck last Tuesday. After being questioned, the police let him go, but the next day received a report that the truck was stolen. Jasper was then arrested and the guns, as well as multiple Molotov cocktails, were uncovered in the truck.
King County senior deputy prosecutor said investigators found propaganda materials in the truck. Among them was a recorded podcast where Jasper allegedly addressed the political disturbances in Syria and Brazil with an anti-governmental attitude.
"There was a sheet of paper that had block, printed letters. It said something to the effect of: Are you aware of the Syrian revolution?" Hamilton told NBC News. "It was definitely political in nature."
The Seattle Times reported last week that the man from whom Jasper stole the guns and the truck from likely knew him. Erik Henderson, of Butte, Mont., a long-haul truck driver, said he gave Jasper a ride from Idaho and let him stay in his home overnight. Henderson said Jasper described himself as an "anarchist."
"You hear that from a lot of college-aged kids these days," Henderson said, adding that Jasper was friendly and "seemed normal."
Henderson said he had the body armor from his days as a contract convoy trucker in Iraq and the guns were hunting weapons. He said the FBI took a note Jasper left saying he was heading to Seattle to "argue with some legislators about some issues he was upset at."
Henderson, a self-described trusting person, also said he did not want to prosecute Jasper because he could not afford to take off the time from work to travel to Seattle. However, he did say Jasper "did not have my permission to take that truck, my guns or my vest."
The prosecutor's office said Jasper will be arraigned on July 22 at the King County courthouse.