A Chicago man accused of setting a CTA rider on fire earlier this week has been ordered to remain in federal custody, prosecutors announced Friday. Lawrence Reed,31,appeared in court following his arrest in connection with the attack on the Blue Line. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
The incident,which occurred Tuesday,has raised concerns about safety on Chicago’s public transportation system. According to police, Reed boarded the Blue Line and allegedly set a 30-year-old man on fire. The victim was hospitalized with severe burns. Reed was found to be in possession of a CTA transit card used to board the train at the time of the attack.
during transport to the police detective division, Reed allegedly made repeated, spontaneous statements, yelling ”burn b**” and ”burn alive b.” He was subsequently turned over to federal authorities Wednesday.
Prosecutors revealed Reed has an extensive criminal history, including a prior charge in 2020 related to an arson at the Thompson Center in Chicago. An earlier FOX 32 report detailed the 2020 incident, where Reed allegedly poured an “unknown substance” on the building’s glass exterior and set it ablaze while people were inside, shortly before a COVID-19 briefing by Gov. JB Pritzker. No injuries were reported in that case.
Reed’s court hearing began at 10 a.m. Friday.
The Source:** The information in this story came from court documents, Chicago police, and previous FOX 32 reporting.
