Felony charge dropped against Pitt student

The Allegheny County district attorney dropped the charge against a Pitt student who was arrested while wearing a Spider-Man costume.

According to court records, Jonathan Hewson, 21, entered the Atwood Express — a convenience store located on Atwood Street — Sept. 20 clad in a Spider-Man costume and matching facemask. 

He then asked the night clerk, Bob Patel, how much money he had before fleeing once Patel produced a taser. After Patel called police, Hewson was arrested nearby and held in custody at the Allegheny County Jail before being charged with felony robbery.

According to Mike Manko, a spokesman for the office of Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala, prosecutors dropped the charge when Patel said he didn’t think Hewson was trying to commit robbery.

Patel said that he changed his mind after reading the news.

“I read that he was a student at Pitt majoring in finance and that he was just a big Spider-Man fan,” he said.

Patel maintained that he’d felt threatened when Hewson entered his store.

Hewson was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

Patel had some advice for students.

“If you’re going to goof around, take off your mask first and don’t ask someone how much money they have,” he said.

Patel said that the Atwood Express has not experienced any robberies since he’s worked there and that this was the first time he’s had to take out his taser. 

He also said that the incident, which garnered international news coverage and spawned a web of journalistic wordplay, was incorrectly portrayed by many media outlets. 

He did not shoot Hewson with a stun gun, nor did he have a stun gun. He simply discharged his taser, and the show of force was enough to make Hewson flee.

“It must have been a slow news day,” Patel said.