A tense scene erupted inside the Columbia Heights Metro station when Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, along with other federal officers, detained a man over alleged fare evasion, as seen in videos posted to The Washington Post and YouTube platform Zeteo. The presence of federal agents at a routine transit stop drew immediate backlash from residents, who demanded answers and ultimately cheered as officers retreated.
The video footage from the station shows officers wearing vests labeled “HSI,” “police,” and “special agent” moving repeatedly up and down escalators before surrounding a man. When asked why the individual was being detained, an officer is seen saying, “He failed to pay his fare.”
That explanation raised questions from bystanders. “Why is the FBI here for fare evasion? Why is Homeland Security here for fare evasion?” one resident said. Officers responded that federal agents were not specifically there for fare evasion but rather to, “support everything we do.”…