CTA attack: Lawrence Reed facing terrorism charge; possible link between City Hall arson: sources, court docs show
CHICAGO (WLS) — A man is facing a federal terrorism charge after allegedly setting a woman on fire on a CTA train in Chicago, court documents show.
Lawrence Reed, 50, was charged with executing an act of terrorism on a mass transportation system.
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Reed is accused of setting a 26-year-old woman on fire on Monday while riding the CTA Blue Line train. Police said he ran away when the train stopped at Clark and Lake. He was in custody by Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday, he walked into the courtroom with his face covered from the nose down.
He immediately began saying “I plead guilty” “I plead guilty” multiple times, before insisting that we would represent himself.
Reed also then told the judge he did not want to talk to her before asking what charges he faced.
A complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office shows CTA surveillance footage of a man approaching the victim with a bottle already ignited.
Reed is alleged to have approached his victim on the Blue Line train at about 9:26 p.m., before taking the cap off a bottle and pouring liquid over her head, then using that same bottle to set her on fire.
United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros said the victim was “minding her business” on her phone when the attack happened.
The attorney said that the previous narrative of the victim and Reed being in an argument was inaccurate.
Boutros said the victim was rolling on the ground in an attempt to put out the flames.
It wasn’t until she was able to get off the train and onto the platform when Good Samaritans helped put the flames out.
According to the complaint, Chicago police obtained video of Reed filing a small container with gasoline at a gas station just 20 minutes before the attack at 3357 W Harrison Street in Garfield Park.
Reed has an extensive record with the Chicago Police Department, according to public records.
His record dates back to 2017, including charges for aggravated arson in 2020, battery, criminal trespass, among other charges.
Wednesday’s hearing ended with the judge scheduling a detention hearing for Friday and ordering Reed to go through a physical and mental examination.
As for the 26-year old victim in this case remains, we’re told she remains in critical condition at Stroger Hospital.
Police sources told ABC7 that Reed is connected to a fire that broke out at City Hall on Friday.
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Chicago police continue to question a person of interest after a woman was set on fire on a CTA Blue Line train at Clark and Lake in the Loop.
A source said surveillance video shows a general similarity in appearance that has prompted detectives to obtain better video to see if it is, in fact, the same person.
The transit agency saying in a statement, “The CTA has been working closely with the Chicago Police Department and the Public Transportation Unit detectives embedded at the Strategic Decision Support Center dedicated to CTA to support their investigation, which has now led to the arrest of a person of interest.”
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