Federal prosecutors have charged a Chicago man with committing a terrorist attack after he allegedly set a 26-year-old woman on fire aboard a Blue Line train.
According to a federal complaint, Lawrence Reed, 50, approached the woman on Monday night, poured a flammable liquid over her and ignited it while she tried to escape.
Surveillance video reportedly captured Reed standing over the victim as she burned before he walked away.
Authorities say the attack began roughly 20 minutes after Reed purchased gasoline at a West Side gas station.
According to the Associated Press, he was wearing the same clothing in the surveillance footage as during the incident on the train.
The victim exited at the Clark/Lake platform, where bystanders helped put out the flames. She remains hospitalized in critical condition with severe burns.
Reed was arrested the following morning in the Loop by Chicago police and later turned over to federal authorities.
During his arrest, he reportedly made spontaneous statements, including yelling, “Burn b****!” and “Burn alive b****!,” according to Townhall.
Federal prosecutors allege the attack was premeditated, noting Reed brought a container of gasoline onto the train with the intent to harm.
He is now charged with committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation system, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Court records indicate Reed has a lengthy criminal history, including 49 prior arrests and 10 felony convictions.
Five years ago, he allegedly attempted to set fire to the Thompson Center after disputes over Social Security payments. Instead of prison, he received two years of mental health probation.
While on probation, he faced several additional arrests, including battery charges that were later dropped.
In August, Reed was accused of assaulting a psychiatric social worker, leaving her with optic nerve bruising, a concussion and ongoing memory issues.
Despite these charges, a judge allowed him to remain free under electronic monitoring with limited hours outside his home.
Officials have expressed outrage over Reed’s repeated access to the public despite his criminal record.
ATF Special Agent Christopher Amon stated, “Lawrence Reed had no business being on the streets given that violent criminal history and his pending criminal cases. As a result, you have an innocent victim in the hospital fighting for her life.”
U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros called the attack “barbaric” and emphasized the coordinated effort of federal, state and local law enforcement to bring Reed to justice, FOX 32 Chicago reports.
During his first federal court appearance, Reed reportedly acted erratically, repeatedly shouting that he wanted to represent himself and claiming, without verification, to be a Chinese citizen.
He also proclaimed, “I plead guilty!” multiple times as the judge attempted to advise him of his rights.
This violent incident has raised renewed concerns over repeat offenders in the city and the safety of public transportation.
The attack drew grim comparisons to a similar tragedy in Charlotte, North Carolina, where 23-year-old Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed on a commuter train.
The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., also has a prior criminal history, highlighting concerns about violent repeat offenders on public transit nationwide.
