Police arrest man with several weapons on SEPTA train

Police say a man was arrested after carrying several weapons on a SEPTA train in Philadelphia late Monday night.

The incident happened around 10:00 p.m. on the Broad Street Line travelling northbound from the Ellsworth Station in Center City.

SEPTA police are crediting a vigilant female rider for contacting them when she noticed a passenger carrying several weapons.

SEPTA Police Chief Tom Nestel explains, "She covertly took a picture of that person. And you see the tell tale bulge every police officer is looking for when riding on a subway or walking on a city street."

Detective Brian Carney was working the surveillance video cube at SEPTA headquarters. He received the photo just after 10:00 pm.

Carney quickly tracked the suspect, identified as Darryl Donahue, leaving the Broad Street Line at City Hall. He had a backpack.

Minutes later he was captured heading towards Love Park.

"He does what I hope every police officer does when they just can't sit in the video booth any more. He grabs his vest and he ran out to 15th Street and started searching for the suspect."

40 minutes later Carney spotted Donahue at 16th and Arch streets.

Detective Carney explains, "I immediately started screaming, 'Police! Show me your hands.' He twisted, a couple of times. I kept screaming, 'Show me your hands.'"

Carney says Donahue wouldn't comply.

"I saw my opportunity. I holstered up and jumped on his back," Carney said.

Police say he was carrying four BB guns that looked real and three long blades, including a butcher knife.

Police say Donahue told them he had the weapons for self preservation. They're not buying it.

Detectives say the passenger did what she should - see something, say something.

"This is a tremendous piece of work that shows how our riders can be really helpful," Chief Nestel said.

Police say Donahue is a career criminal who was arrested for a similar crime in 2009.

Charges are pending against him in this current case.