Phoenix Jones, the self-described Guardian of Seattle and “Real Life Superhero,” on Friday went on Fox News in full costume to talk about his assault charges for a pepper-spraying incident, and defended himself by saying that “if I feel like someone’s in danger, I know there has to be a citizen’s law out there that says I can run in and help people.”
Last weekend, Jones was arrested for allegedly pepper-spraying four people outside of a nightclub, which he says was an attempt to break up a fight.
According to Seattle Police Detective Jeff Kappel, there were four people “dancing and having a good time” when “an unknown adult male suspect came up from behind and pepper sprayed the group. Two men in the group chased after the suspect. Responding officers arrived on scene and separated the involved parties.”
One of the women who Jones allegedly sprayed chased after Jones and attacked him with her shoe. Watch the video here.
Jones has been patrolling the streets since last year, sometimes stopping crimes and breaking up fights while dressed in a tight black and gold suit that’s equipped with a bullet-proof vest and “stab plates” — which he wore when he appeared on Fox News on Friday.
Jones, nee Benjamin Fodor, popped up on Megyn Kelly’s America Live, and was naturally given the Kelly’s Court treatment.
Kelly, for her part, asked Jones why he wears the costume. “It’s a costume that I wear when I go out and fight crime,” Jones replied. “It’s my super suit. It’s bulletproof, it’s stab resistant, I guess I thought it was pretty shoe resistant.”
Kelly also asked whether Jones has a signature line that he shouts when he’s breaking up fights. “It’s not really like a comic book,” he replied.
“I feel like just assessing the situation and coming in with the best game plan is always the best thing to do, rather than yelling out tag phrases,” Jones added.
“If I feel like someone’s in danger, I know there has to be a citizen’s law out there that says I can run in and help people,” he said.
Jones was also asked about the fact that he appeared in normal clothing in court, but at the end of the hearing dramatically tore off his shirt to reveal his costume . He explained:
They were charging Phoenix Jones because I’m Phoenix Jones. If I was a regular person and I had just regularly pepper sprayed someone who was in a fight, they would have shook my hand and sent me away. So I wore my suit because that’s what this is about. And I took my mask off because the person who was suffering for it was the person under the mask. So it was a double statement.
Watch some highlights from the interview:
Ed Note: The post has been corrected from an earlier version which misstated Phoenix Jones’ real name as Ryan McNanee. Jones’ real name is Benjamin Fodor. McNanee is his videographer.
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