A Chicago man is facing a federal terrorism charge after authorities say he set a woman on fire aboard a CTA train.
Lawrence Reed, 50, of Chicago, was charged Wednesday, Nov. 19, with “committing a terrorist attack against a mass transportation system,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. Prosecutors said the charge carries a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Reed was scheduled to make his first appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally later that day.
Investigators initially suggested the incident may have followed an argument, but the criminal complaint and federal statement do not describe any dispute between Reed and the victim.
The attack occurred just before 9:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, as a 26-year-old woman rode a Blue Line train near the Clark and Lake station in the Loop, Chicago police told NBC 5 Chicago, ABC News, and CBS affiliate WYMT.
According to the complaint, Reed approached the woman while she was seated with her back to him. He allegedly removed the cap from a bottle containing liquid and poured it over her head and body. Authorities say the woman tried to flee, but Reed caught up to her and ignited the liquid. The bottle reportedly slipped from his hand as it burned, and Reed is accused of picking it up again and using it to set the woman on fire.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was engulfed in flames but managed to get off the train. She remains hospitalized in critical condition, prosecutors said.
U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros, ATF Chicago Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Amon, and Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling announced the complaint and Reed’s arrest.
“This horrific attack was not just a barbaric assault on an innocent woman riding a train, but an act of terrorism that strikes at the core of our American way of life,” Boutros said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will take immediate and resolute action to bring swift justice to the victim while safeguarding the public as well as the fabric of our society.”
