Passenger with a Machine Gun Arrested at Walnut Creek BART Station
— By Jim Emerson
WALNUT CREEK, CA — BART police arrested a passenger with a loaded machine gun on February 4 at
Walnut Creek Station. Zion E. Brown, a 21-year-old Concord resident, remains in custody at the
Martinez Detention Facility in lieu of $310,000 bond.
BART officers and Walnut Creek police responded after a man brandished a machine gun at other
passengers. The incident happened on the elevated train platform shortly after 12 p.m., near
downtown Walnut Creek. Firearms are prohibited on BART property.
Brown allegedly hid a loaded firearm in his possession to enter the station. Later, he allegedly started
waving it around, and making threats. BART officers recovered a pistol from him, which had been
converted to machine gun, with a large capacity magazine.
BART PD placed Brown under arrest at 12:08 p.m., without further incident. Trains traveling through
the station were temporarily delayed, but fortunately no injuries were reported.
Brown was booked for threatening other passengers and firearms offenses. Subsequently, he was
charged with making criminal threats of violence, and multiple firearms-related charges. He is
scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on February 20.
Brown faces the following firearms charges –
* Carrying a concealed firearm
* Possession of a firearm converted to a machine gun
* Possession of a machine gun
* Possession of a large capacity magazine
* Drawing/exhibiting a firearm
* Carrying a loaded firearm in a public place
* Carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony
