Moment when man who 'threatened Croydon bus passengers with unknown substance' is tasered by police

THE moment a man accused of threatening bus passengers with an unknown substance was tasered was caught on camera.

The terrifying ordeal took place in Croydon, London yesterday around 10:30 pm – quickly ran to the quiet residential road with the police.

Just before midnight, police tasered a 44-year-old man and then rushed him to hospital.

The tension arose after the man refused to get off the crowded bus.

Bystanders recorded the moment the passengers fled the double-decker bus, before police swarmed the street and taped off the road.

Police wearing specialized blue chemical suits could be seen surrounding the bus as passengers stood in the street.

They then approached a man sitting alone at the top of the double-decker bus, holding a riot shield.

The officers then jumped on the man before dragging him into the street.

The man is said to have boarded the bus in Brixton before allegedly starting to smoke.

It is claimed passengers then intervened before the man allegedly threatened them with an unknown substance.

However, police later revealed that the substance was not found to be harmful – and the man was arrested.

Amber Nurse, 38, lives nearby and watched the horror unfold.

The administrative assistant said she was in bed when her son woke her up to say something was happening outside.

She said: “The police were there and then I saw the armed police looking around too. Then I thought 'this is pretty serious'.

“The boys in the blue suits were there. There was a negotiator trying to get him down.

'Then they went upstairs. They approached him and eventually tasered him.”

Amber added: “There were so many blue suits it was hard to see.

'They took him aside, undressed him and put different clothes on him.

“He was taken away by ambulance.”

a Police met spokesperson said this morning: “Police responded to calls to London Road, Thornton Heath shortly after 10.30pm last night.

“A man had threatened bus passengers with an unknown substance.

“Nobody was taken hostage. The man made threats and everyone else on the bus immediately got off. The substance was not thrown.

“Shortly before midnight, the 44-year-old man was arrested for affray. The substance did not appear to be harmful.

“Taser was discharged before his arrest and officers believe the man had taken it drugs. He was taken to hospital as a precaution.

“His condition is not believed to be life-threatening.”