Lawrence Reed faces federal terrorism charges after alleged acts of setting a woman on fire aboard a Chicago Blue Line train and shouting profanities as she was engulfed in flames. According to the criminal complaint, Reed used gasoline and a lighter to ignite the woman, who suffered severe burns and remains in critical condition. A video of the incident shows Reed watching the woman as she was engulfed in flames and attempting to put out the fire by rolling on the floor. The victim, who was ‘minding her own business and reading her phone’ as she sat in the middle of the train car, ran to the back of the car as Reed attempted to ignite the liquid. No one came to her aid as she was on fire until she managed to exit the train and collapse on the platform after the train stopped at Clark and Lake. Two Samaritans arrived to help put out the blaze that was all consuming her. The incident has sparked outrage and fears about the safety of public transportation systems, with some calling it a ‘siege’ on commuters.
The suspect, who has a lengthy criminal history, was released after being accused in a violent August attack. Federal prosecutors allege that Reed intentionally used gasoline and a lighter to set the woman on fire, claiming that the act was part of a terrorist attack or violence against a mass transportation system. The suspect’s arrest followed a video showing him allegedly watching the woman as she was engulfed in flames and attempting to put out the fire by rolling on the floor. Reed was arrested on Tuesday morning and was still wearing the same clothing from the attack, with burns on his right hand. During his first appearance in federal court, he allegedly shouted, ‘I plead guilty, I plead guilty, I plead guilty.’ U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura McNally asked him if he knew the maximum sentence was life in prison, to which he responded, ‘It’s cool, it’s cool, it’s cool.’ Federal prosecutors are currently seeking to assess his mental and medical condition after noting his extensive criminal history and multiple prior arrests.
Reed’s criminal history includes a charge of felony aggravated arson from April 2020, after he allegedly started a fire at the Thompson Center, where Governor JB Pritzker was holding a daily briefing. He also faced misdemeanor battery charges for punching multiple women in the face, seemingly at random, and slapping a 42-year-old man in the face at the Halsted CTA Blue Line platform. In August, Reed was charged with aggravated battery after allegedly assaulting a woman at a psychiatric hospital, but was released with an ankle monitor despite prosecutors’ request to keep him detained. Chicago Police Department records indicate that Reed was arrested on at least 13 occasions by their agency alone since 2017. The incident has sparked concerns about the safety of public transportation and the need for stricter measures to prevent such attacks. Law enforcement officials have emphasized the importance of swift action and cooperation between different agencies to ensure such incidents do not happen again.