A 26-year-old man was arrested by the Public Security Police (PSP) on July 18 at the Sete Rios train station, in the parish of São Domingos de Benfica, for suspected involvement in the crime of threat with a bladed weapon.
The Lisbon Metropolitan Command of the PSP disclosed in a statement this Friday that the incident began inside a train during the journey from Pragal to Sete Rios.
During this trip, the suspect exhibited “disorderly and abusive behavior towards other passengers in the carriage” and verbally provoked a passenger accompanied by her two minor children, persistently pressing a backpack against her body.
The incident was witnessed by a police officer traveling on the same train on his way to work. The officer was, however, dressed in civilian clothes.
Upon witnessing the situation, the officer “intervened preventively, calling the suspect’s attention.” However, in response, the man “pulled out a large pair of scissors from the backpack, wielding them threateningly at the officer.”
“Facing the imminent aggression, and observing the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality, the officer passively used his firearm, immobilizing the suspect on the ground and immediately eliminating the threat,” the PSP reports.
The action was subsequently supported by two other officers also present on the train, “allowing the arrest to be made safely and without injuries.”
The man was transported to a PSP station, “where the arrest was formalized and appropriate procedural steps were taken.” He was later notified to appear in court.
The type of coercive measure applied to him is not yet known.
A video of the intervention is already circulating on social media. The PSP clarifies, in light of “misinformation meanwhile disseminated on some digital platforms and social networks,” that “there was no confrontation between third parties, no firearm shots were fired, and there were no victims or injuries during the incident.”
“The police intervention was individual, controlled, and strictly adjusted to the specific threat,” stresses the security force, which “reaffirms its commitment to the safety of citizens, compliance with legality, and the provision of reliable information.”
The PSP also reiterates an appeal for responsibility in content sharing, “highlighting the risks that misinformation poses to public trust in institutions and community safety perception.”
Polícia/militar à paisana em Sete Rios imobiliza indivíduo no chão ?
O que aconteceu, alguém sabe?
Parece uma glock?Pela forma de actuar, parece membro de alguma unidade especial da PSP. pic.twitter.com/GpKZ1fD5kq
— DrG (@DrGPT1) July 17, 2025
