PHOENIX -- A drunken man who was tackled by Greyhound bus passengers Wednesday after he threatened them with a shotgun was identified as Anthony Mireles, 42, the Department of Public Safety said Thursday.

The passengers told CBS 5 Mireles was belligerent when he boarded the bus in Flagstaff and was drinking from a bottle of Southern Comfort whiskey during the ride.

Near Anthem, Mireles allegedly pulled out a shotgun and threatened the nearly 50 people on the bus. DPS said he also had a knife.

Passenger Karen Kahn said Mireles "pointed it at all of us, including the children, and said, 'I'm going to finish you all off at the next stop.'"

That's when four men tackled Mireles and took his gun away.

"We just did not want to get shot, because he was swinging the gun," Jay Lee said. "He started trying to reach for his gun, and we just all tackled him right there."

DPS said the bus driver stopped on Anthem Way so the passengers could pull Mireles off the bus. The passengers held Mireles on the ground until officers arrived to take him into custody.

"This could have been a horrific situation," said DPS Sgt. Paul Forch.

Mireles was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on one count of disorderly conduct involving weapons.

The bus driver said Greyhound performs security screenings at major cities like Phoenix, but since the man boarded the bus in Flagstaff, his bags were never inspected.

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