SEATTLE, WA (CNN) - A real-life superhero has been patrolling the streets of Seattle, Washington in hopes of stopping crime. Every night an anonymous Seattle man strolls into a comic store, enters a hidden back room, and emerges transformed as "Phoenix Jones".
"Phoenix" says since he started his crime-fighting crusade 9 months ago, he's been stabbed, and had a gun pulled on him a few times, but received no serious injuries.
Phoenix carries mace, tear gas and a nightstick equipped with a taser and wears a bulletproof vest and "stab plates" that offer protection from knives.
"When I walk into a neighborhood, criminals leave because they see the suit. I symbolize that the average person doesn't have to walk around and see bad things and do nothing," he explained.
<snip>
'Real Life Superhero' Breaks Up Carjacking In Washington StateEvil villains looking to prey on the citizens of Lynnwood, Washington, beware: Phoenix Jones is watching.
KIRO Eyewitness News reports that a Lynnwood man, identified only as "Dan," came "within seconds of having his car broken into" on Sunday when the alleged crook was chased off by a masked crusader. In an incident that local police couldn't confirm to TPM, Dan told KIRO a man with a metal strip was trying to unlock his car in a parking lot when help showed up out of nowhere.
"From the right, this guy comes dashing in, wearing this skin-tight rubber, black and gold suit, and starts chasing him away," Dan said.
Dan's rescuer was Phoenix Jones, a.k.a. Phoenix Jones the Guardian of Seattle, a "Real Life Superhero" and leader of the Rain City Superhero Movement. Almost every night, the 22-year-old Jones, who keeps his real identity a secret, enters a secret compartment in the back of a Lynnwood comic book store and emerges, in uniform, to patrol the streets. (Watch video of Jones in action here.) His suit includes a bullet-proof vest and "stab plates," and he carries a taser nightstick, mace and tear gas. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Jones also sports a "ballistic cup."
<snip>
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/real_life_superhero_breaks_up_carjacking_in_washington_state.php![](http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/assets_c/2011/01/superhero-fights-crime-cropped-proto-custom_2.jpg)