Lawrence Reed, 50, has been federally charged with committing a terrorist attack or violence against a mass transportation system after allegedly setting a woman on fire aboard a Chicago Blue Line train on Monday (November 17). According to a criminal complaint, Reed used gasoline and a lighter to ignite the woman, while reportedly shouting, “burn b****.”
The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. when Reed, sitting at the back of the train car, approached the 26-year-old woman, doused her with gasoline, and set her ablaze. Surveillance footage captured Reed filling a container with gasoline at a gas station about 30 minutes before the attack. The woman, whose name has not been released, was taken to the hospital in critical condition with severe burns.
Reed, who has a history of prior arrests, was apprehended on Tuesday morning. He was wearing the same clothes as the attacker seen on surveillance footage. During his first court appearance, Reed was disruptive, repeatedly shouting “I plead guilty!” and claiming to be a Chinese citizen. The federal charge against him carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The attack drew comparisons to a similar incident in August in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a young woman was fatally stabbed on a commuter train. The Chicago Transit Authority is collaborating with police in the ongoing investigation and has implemented security measures, including surveillance cameras.
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