Four passengers dead after shooting on Chicago-area train

Police investigators work inside a Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line train car parked at the Forest Park station after a shooting, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Forest Park, Ill. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Four passengers on a Chicago-area commuter train were shot to death Monday, police said, in an early morning attack that shook the suburb of Forest ParkIllinois.

The victims, who have not been publicly identified, were discovered around 5:30 a.m. local time at the station. Forest Parkterminal of the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Lineafter police said they received a 911 call.

Police officers arrested a suspect shortly afterward, they said in a statement, about 16 kilometers west of downtown ChicagoOfficers said they used video surveillance footage to track down the suspect, who they believe fled the scene on a subway train. CTA Pink Line.

The Forest Park Police did not identify the suspect and has not criminally charged anyone as part of its investigation, which it described as ongoing.

At a news conference on Monday, Forest Park Deputy Police Chief, Chris Chincalled the shooting “an isolated incident” and said there was no threat to the public. Police recovered a gun, he said.

“This is obviously shocking,” Chin said. “It’s rare to have a mass shooting like this.”

Chin said police believe the shooting took place in two train cars and occurred as the train was headed toward Forest Park. Three of the victims were found dead at the scene, while a fourth person was pronounced dead at a hospital.

A dog barks out of the window of a passing car at the scene where Pro-Palestinian demonstrators are pushed back by members of the Chicago police department after they attempted to stage a noise protest near the hotel where Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is staying, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 22, 2024. REUTERS/Leah Millis

In an interview with ABC7 Newsthe mayor of Forest Park, Rory Hoskinsurged county and state leaders to invest more resources in the community, including strengthening security provisions. “Today, many people called the mayor’s office, expressing their concern and asking if they were safe,” he said.

The Chicago Transit Authority said to CWB Chicago who was helping the Forest Park Police reviewing security footage. “Although this was an isolated incident, this heinous and flagrant act of violence should never have occurred, let alone on a public transport train,” the statement said. CTA in a statement.

The Washington Post

Leo Sands is a reporter and breaking news editor in The Washington Post’s London operations, covering news as it develops around the world.