Suspect Detained in Connection with Woman Set on Fire on Blue Line Train
Chicago police have apprehended a suspect believed to be involved in the shocking incident of a woman being set on fire aboard a Blue Line train in the Loop on Monday night. The suspect, who is reportedly wearing an ankle monitor for a pending aggravated battery case, has a history of arson cases, including fires set downtown.
The man was arrested in the Loop around midday as he was about to board a train near Clark and Washington. It has been revealed that the attack on the 26-year-old woman was random and unprovoked, contrary to initial reports of an argument between the victim and the assailant.
According to sources, the woman was sitting on the train using her phone when the man approached her, poured liquid from a beverage bottle on her head, and then set her and parts of himself on fire. The woman was rushed to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
Surprisingly, no one on the train intervened to help the woman after she was set ablaze. A witness later informed police that they initially thought the woman’s phone had exploded, causing flames to spread onto her.
Court records indicate that prosecutors had requested the suspect to be kept in custody after a previous charge of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in the suburbs earlier this year. However, a judge rejected the request and placed him on electronic monitoring. Subsequently, the terms of his monitoring were modified to allow him out of the house during daytime hours.
The suspect’s arrest on this occasion marks his 23rd encounter with law enforcement since 2016. The Office of Chief Judge Timothy Evans oversees the electronic monitoring program responsible for tracking the suspect.
If and when the suspect is charged in connection with the CTA attack, CWBChicago will disclose the names of the judges involved in the detention decisions. Your continued support enables us to provide exclusive, original reporting. Click here to contribute to our work.
