Court records have revealed that Lawrence Reed, the suspect in the recent Chicago train attack, had a history of violating his curfew and movement restrictions under electronic monitoring prior to the incident. These violations, documented in the days leading up to the alleged attack on November 17, highlight growing concerns about the effectiveness of such monitoring programs in preventing violent acts. The suspect, now facing federal terrorism charges, was ordered onto electronic monitoring on August 22 following a prior violent offense.
During a court hearing, Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez denied prosecutors’ request to keep Reed in jail over felony allegations that he had knocked a social worker unconscious at MacNeal Hospital’s psychiatric ward. Molina-Gonzalez expressed her inability to keep every individual in custody due to the state’s attorney’s demands. According to newly filed documents, the electronic monitoring records show multiple instances where Reed left his residence without authorization, returned late, or triggered escalated alerts indicating serious non-compliance. These violations occurred on several dates, including November 9, 12–13, 14–15, and again on Nov. 15, with additional alerts on the night of the attack.
Reed, who is now facing charges of terrorism, was identified as the suspect in the CTA Blue Line incident involving a 26-year-old woman. The attack reportedly took place around 9 p.m. on November 17 when Reed approached the victim from behind and doused her with gasoline from a plastic bottle. Surveillance footage, cited in the federal arrest affidavit, shows the victim managing to fight off Reed and later fleeing while he pursued her. Reed ultimately ignited the gasoline, approached the victim, and set her on fire. The victim, later identified as Bethany MaGee, suffered severe burns to her face and body and remains in critical condition. Reed was taken into custody the following morning, wearing the same clothes seen in the surveillance footage, and is reported to have burns on his hand.
The electronic monitoring violations continued into the early morning hours of November 18, roughly three hours after the attack. Reed’s approved movement windows under the monitoring program were limited: Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Despite these restrictions, Reed appeared to have violated them multiple times, which has led to additional legal action. Prosecutors have moved to revoke Reed’s pretrial release in the August aggravated battery case based on the new federal terrorism charge. If approved, Reed would be held without bond in the county case, regardless of the federal proceedings. His next court date in the Cook County aggravated battery case is scheduled for December 4.
In the federal court, U.S. District Judge Laura McNally has ordered Reed’s detention pending trial but has not yet set a next date for the terrorism case. The incident has also sparked broader discussions within the legal and political community about the effectiveness of electronic monitoring and the role of pretrial release policies in managing public safety risks. Some experts have raised concerns about the potential dangers associated with decarceration policies, suggesting that the Chicago train incident underscores the importance of rigorous oversight and accountability mechanisms in such programs. The case has now drawn attention to the need for a balanced approach in ensuring public safety while respecting legal rights and judicial processes.