Man Charged With Terrorism After Woman Set on Fire in Chicago Subway

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

CHICAGO, USA (Worthy News) – A man has been charged with federal terrorism offenses after allegedly dousing a woman with liquid and setting her on fire aboard a Chicago subway train, authorities confirmed Friday, in a case that revived concerns about transit safety amid rising violence in U.S. public-transport systems.

The suspect, Lawrence Reed, 50, faces the federal charge of “committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation system,” prosecutors said. Officials added that the assault appeared random, with no prior connection between Reed and the 26-year-old victim, who remains hospitalized in critical condition with severe burns.

Witnesses reported panic on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Blue Line near the Clark/Lake station on Monday evening as Reed allegedly poured a flammable substance over the woman and ignited it, causing flames to spread through the train car.

The attack unfolded in Chicago — a city repeatedly criticized by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump over violent crime — intensifying political scrutiny of the American city’s public-safety record.

Authorities said Reed has an extensive criminal record, and he reportedly served only about two years in jail for earlier convictions before Monday’s attack.

BROADER PATTERN OF TRANSIT VIOLENCE

The incident comes amid a troubling rise in violent attacks on U.S. transit systems. In New York City, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam died in December 2024 after a man set her clothing on fire aboard an F-train in Brooklyn, with medical examiners ruling her death a homicide caused by thermal burns and smoke inhalation.

In August 2025, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed on a light-rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, during an unprovoked attack on the Lynx Blue Line.

Earlier that year, 38-year-old John Sheldon was stabbed to death on a New York City subway train after an argument, according to authorities.

These cases follow the 2022 Brooklyn subway shooting in which Frank James wounded 29 people before pleading guilty to federal terrorism charges for violence against a mass-transportation system.

Together, these incidents have intensified fears that U.S. subways and rail systems — already struggling with staffing shortages and rising disorder — are becoming increasingly vulnerable to sudden, extreme violence.

FEDERAL INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Chicago Police Department, and security teams from the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are leading the investigation.

Officials say they are still examining Reed’s motive and whether the terrorism charge reflects the nature of the attack on public transit or suggests deeper ideological elements.

However, authorities have not yet disclosed any link to extremist groups.

The FBI and local authorities continue to review surveillance footage and interview witnesses, and urged anyone with additional information to come forward.

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