Bail set at $2M for armed man arrested in Seattle
Jul 5, 2013, 10:23 PM | Updated: 10:23 pm
SEATTLE (AP) – A Nevada man is being held on $2 million bail after his arrest near the University of Washington, in a truck containing anti-government propaganda, multiple weapons and maps to three Seattle campuses.
King County Judge Arthur R. Chapman said Friday he set such a high bail for Justin Jasper because he considered the 21-year-old a flight risk and a threat to the community.
Montana authorities say Jasper had stolen both a pickup truck and guns from a truck driver who offered him a place to stay in Butte for the past month.
At the bail hearing in Seattle, a prosecutor said authorities found six firebombs in the vehicle, plus several knives, including a machete, and several guns. They also found a recording of a podcast that appears to have Jasper expressing support for the Brazilian revolution.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
Montana authorities said Friday a heavily armed man arrested near the University of Washington in Seattle stole both a pickup up truck and guns from a truck driver who offered him a place to stay for the past month.
A truck driver who lives in Butte reported on Wednesday that he returned home from a trip to find guns stolen from his residence and his pickup truck gone, said Butte-Silver Bow Undersheriff George Skuletich.
The suspect, Justin Jasper, had been staying at the truck driver’s home for about a month.
Jasper, 21, was arrested Wednesday after University of Washington police were told to watch for truck that had been stolen out of Montana.
Dan Donahoe of the King County prosecutor’s office said Jasper was scheduled for an initial court appearance Friday afternoon.
University of Washington police had seen Jasper sleeping in a truck near campus on Tuesday night, the day before they received the stolen vehicle notice. University of Washington police chief John Vinson said nothing came up in their system when they checked the plates on Tuesday.
Butte authorities are looking into possible charges, but none has been filed, Skuletich said.
Vinson said the man had with him a scoped rifle, shotgun and fewer than 10 Molotov cocktails.
“We have no idea what his intentions are,” he said. “This is a very active investigation. We’re trying to rule out everything at this point.”
Vinson said the man was not cooperating with police, but said there did not appear to be any threat to the university campus.
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AP reporter Matt Volz contributed to this story from Helena, Mont. Photographer Ted Warren contributed in Seattle.
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