CTA Passenger Shot When Gunman Fires Into Red Line Train

CHICAGO, IL — A 24-year-old CTA passenger was shot Thursday night in the Loop when the doors of the Red Line train he was riding opened and a gunman standing on the platform fired into the car, the Chicago Tribune reports. The wounded man was hit in the ankle and left arm, and he was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in stable condition, the report stated. Chicago police were still searching for the shooter, who fled the scene after he fired on the victim, the report added.

Deputy Supt. Kevin Navarro said during a press conference Thursday night that investigators believe the incident was a targeted shooting and that the public and CTA passengers were not in danger, the report stated. According to police, the incident occurred at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday at the CTA station at Jackson Street. The shooter allegedly waited for the train to pull up to the station, and as the doors opened, he aimed at a specific passenger and began firing, the report added.

Once shots were heard, passengers and people on the platform began running for cover, the report stated. Witnesses told the Tribune they felt trapped and confused in the chaos. Some also said the train's conductor wasn't clear about what to do when the shooting started. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Chicago — or your neighborhood. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

One woman, 29, told the Tribune she was walking to the platform to transfer from the Blue Line to the Red Line when she witnessed the shooting:

"I heard arguing for about two seconds, and then I saw the flash of a gun, and I heard the pop. Once we all hit the ground to take cover, I was still close to the stairs, so I slid myself down the stairs until I couldn’t see the top of the platform. Another girl was there, and she reached out for me, and we held hands, and I ran out."

Navarro said investigators were viewing security camera video in an effort to identify the gunman, the report stated. So far, police have not released a description of the suspect. Navarro also said patrols would be added around the CTA station, the report added.

More via the Chicago Tribune

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