Prosecutors detail new allegations against man accused of Blue Line fire attack

Prosecutors have unveiled new particulars about extra felony prices filed in opposition to Lawrence Reed, the person accused of setting a lady on hearth aboard a Blue Line practice final month whereas he was on digital monitoring.

Reed is already dealing with federal terrorism prices in reference to the November 17 assault that left Bethany MaGee, 26, badly burned on a practice on the Clark-Lake station. After these prices had been filed, Chicago police approached the Prepare dinner County State’s Legal professional’s Workplace with beforehand unpursued allegations from a March 27, 2025, incident by which Reed allegedly focused two Blue Line passengers within the West Loop.

Throughout a detention listening to this week, prosecutors mentioned a lady and Reed had been driving in back-to-back seats when Reed stood up and sat on her lap, shifting his hips on her physique. The girl pushed him off and moved to completely different seats with a companion whereas a male passenger who witnessed the encounter checked on the girl to verify she was OK.

Based on prosecutors, Reed then approached the girl once more and tried to kiss her. The male passenger stepped between them and pushed Reed away to cease him from touching her.

Reed grabbed the person, threw him to the ground of the practice, and triggered him to land on his again, prosecutors mentioned. The 2 continued preventing till somebody pressed the emergency button, prompting the practice to cease on the Grand station.

Prosecutors mentioned Reed exited the practice briefly, returned to retrieve his telephone, after which left once more. Officers arrived and detained him upstairs on the station, the place each victims recognized him.

Regardless of the on-scene identifications, no felony prices had been pursued till after Reed set MaGee on hearth final month. Chicago police mentioned the March incident had been below investigation for eight months and that the investigation concluded after the hearth assault.

Reed is charged with two counts of aggravated battery of a transit passenger in reference to the March incident.

Illinois regulation requires defendants to be bodily current earlier than a decide can get them organized detained. As a result of Reed stays in federal custody, Decide John Lyke ordered the Prepare dinner County Sheriff’s Workplace Emergency Response Group to move him from federal custody to his courtroom on April 14, in accordance with court docket information.

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