Suspect incident closes down Maryland subway

A Metro subway station just outside Washington was closed down on Tuesday after an armed man scuffled with a police officer and a jar with an unknown substance was thrown onto the platform, officials said.

Fire department hazardous­material teams in protective rubber suits responded after several people reported being sick.

Mark Brady, a Prince George's County Maryland Fire Department spokesman, said a man dispensed some type of product in the subway station.

"That product made people on the train sick, with dry throats and nausea," he said. About 15 people were isolated and taken to hospital.

Officials who run the Metro subway system said a scuffle broke out between a transit officer and man on a train after the passenger pulled a knife and gun. The train stopped at the Southern Avenue station on the Green Line and the fight continued onto the platform.

Transit police took the man into custody. Officials said the officer and the armed man were not injured.