Four Killed While Sleeping on Chicago Train, Shooter Arrested

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Four people were killed while sleeping on a commuter train in the Chicago area Monday.

What’s the deal: According to Chicago police, four passengers on a CTA Blue Line train were killed early Monday morning while they appeared to be asleep in their seats. The shooting took place across two train cars while the train was in motion. Police responded to a 911 call at around 5:27 am, discovering three victims dead at the scene, while the fourth later died at Loyola University Medical Center. According to NBC Chicago, “police say the shootings appear to be random in nature.”

Arrest made: The suspect in the shooting was arrested after being identified through security footage. Chicago police located the suspect on a Pink Line train, recognizing them from the surveillance video description. The arrest occurred shortly after the shooting, and a weapon was recovered. The suspect’s name has not been released, and the motive for the attack is still under investigation.

What officials are saying: In a statement, Chicago’s Transportation Authority said, “Although this was an isolated incident, this heinous and egregious act of violence should never have occurred, none the less on a public transit train. As soon as this matter was reported, CTA immediately deployed resources to assist the Forest Park Police in their investigation into the matter, including review of all possible security camera footage, which proved to be vital in aiding local enforcement. We commend both the Forest Park Police Department for their thorough and collaborative efforts to provide information to partner agencies; as well as the Chicago Police Department whose quick actions led to the apprehension of a suspect in this matter. CTA will continue to work with local law enforcement as part of this ongoing investigation.”