At 12:54 p.m. on The Ambush, Anniston Klansman William Chappell and a screaming mob of about 50 white men surrounded the bus, while 18-year-old Klansman Roger Couch lay on the pavement in front of it to block any attempt to leave and later told the FBI he suffered "an epileptic fit." Carrying metal pipes, clubs, and chains, the mob milled around menacingly, with some screaming "Dirty Communists" and "Seig Heil!" After the driver opened the door to allow a passenger on, undercover highway patrol agents Eli Cowling and Harry Simms hurried to the front to stop anyone from entering and leaned on the door levers to get the doors closed and sealed while the mob smashed windows, dented the sides of the bus, and slashed tires. The siege continued for 20 minutes. Around 1:15 p.m., although they were only a block away at 1200 Gurnee and had been alerted throughout the morning that there might be trouble, Anniston police arrived, examined the damage, made no attempt to arrest anyone, and then without warning cleared a path and motioned for the bus to exit.