FOREST PARK, Ill. (WLS) — A 30-year-old Chicagoan has been charged after four people were shot and killed while asleep on a CTA Blue Line train early Monday, police said Tuesday.
Rhanni S. Davis faces four counts of first-degree murder, Forest Park police said.
Click here to watch Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins said the victims were sleeping when they were shot.
“This was an incredibly unfortunate act, a criminal act, the loss of life that we all grieve for.”
Forest Park police said they are still trying to contact the fourth victim’s next of kin.
Forest Park police said this is the first time they have had contact with that suspect, but added that he has a history of weapons offenses in Chicago.
The mayor of Forest Park said it is believed the shooting occurred closer to the Harlem Blue Line station.
Davis, who still had a gun, was taken into custody after 90 minutes at the California CTA Pink Line station.
Absolutely, partnering with CTA security, that was absolutely key in apprehending the offender in this matter,” said Forest Park Police Lt. Daniel Pater.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, who also represents Forest Park, says more needs to be done to address the root problem: drug use and mental health among the unhoused.
In Forest Park, Illinois. (WLS) — According to police on Tuesday, a 30-year-old Chicagoan has been charged following the shooting deaths of four individuals who were unconscious on a CTA Blue Line train early on Monday.
According to Forest Park police, Rhanni S. Davis is accused of four first-degree murders.
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According to Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, the victims were shot while they slept.
“It doesn’t matter what the circumstances were; every death is tragic. You are aware that they held special meaning for someone,” Hoskins remarked. “We all mourn the loss of life that resulted from this extremely regrettable and criminal act. ****.
According to the police, there are four adult victims—three men and one woman. In one train car, three of the victims were discovered shot, and one was discovered in a different one. Authorities claimed the victims had not been robbed.
On Tuesday, three of the victims were identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Adrian Collins, 60, sustained abdominal gunshot wounds.
Simeon Bihesi, 28, was shot several times.
Margaret Miller, 64, was shot in the head.
Homicide is the classification given to all three deaths. The fourth victim’s next of kin is still being contacted, according to Forest Park police.
Many questions remain about the shooting, including whether there was a possible motive.
It is reasonable to conclude that this was a random attack, according to Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, during a press conference on Tuesday night. ****.
Foxx expressed his fear that the question “why” will never have an answer. It is horrifying. We’re looking for answers. We don’t currently know why someone would commit such a horrible, horrible act. “. .
Although this is the first time Forest Park police have spoken to the suspect, they noted that he has a history of weapons offenses in Chicago.
More information, according to Foxx, will be disclosed during Davis’ Wednesday noon court appearance.
About 5:30 a.m., CTA employees noticed the horrifying scene. M. Monday, right before the final stop was reached by the arriving train.
According to Forest Park’s mayor, the shooting is thought to have taken place nearer the Harlem Blue Line station.
See Also: Illinois law prohibiting carrying a concealed weapon while using public transportation declared unconstitutional.
“It’s probably not something these victims saw coming,” Hoskins said. “Labor Day was the day they were executed. There is a swimming pool in our community. To the park they go. They barbeque, you know that. Nonetheless, a large number of people called the mayor’s office today to voice their concerns and inquire about their safety. “.”.
After 90 minutes at the California CTA Pink Line station, Davis—who was still carrying a gun—was taken into custody.
“Video surveillance was essential. In this case, cooperating with CTA security was crucial to catching the criminal, according to Forest Park Police Lt. Daniel Patrick.
Authorities found at least six rounds, and they claimed the suspect occasionally wore a mask.
After the horrifying act of violence, one commuter claimed to be on edge.
Ramis Wells, a commuter, stated, “I don’t feel too unsafe.”. “I believe that action and a few additional security precautions need to be taken. ****.
Tuesday morning, there was a noticeable security presence at the station.
Mike Ganter, a commuter, stated, “That’s public transportation.”. “There’s going to be someone there. That cannot be avoided or stopped. ****.
“More security, please, please,” stated traveler Javari Dockery. “We want increased protection. Additionally, there are other passengers because there is never a quiet moment on a train; you are always surrounded by potential strangers. “.
Following the violence on Tuesday morning, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded.
Johnson referred to it as a tragedy. There is an excess of firearms in this nation. It’s disgusting how easy it is for people to obtain guns; the situation is out of control. ****.
The use of the CTA’s new ZeroEyes security system, a round-the-clock monitoring system that can identify firearms at stations, at the Forest Park station at the time of the incident was not immediately apparent.
“We ought to be tackling the more general inquiry of why we aren’t, why isn’t adequate security being offered,” stated Illinois Governor Bruce E. J.B. Pritzker.
Although they wouldn’t say which stations the technology is situated at, CTA officials claimed that it is only installed at specific locations and not in the actual train cars.
“To hopefully ensure that this doesn’t happen again or anytime soon, we want to work closely with the CTA and perhaps they can engage in some kind of security upgrades,” Hoskins stated.
Orlanda Lee, a commuter, finds little solace in it.
“I mean, just in communities, people do not feel safe out here,” Lee remarked. “My argument is that they must increase patrol numbers and address vagrancy. ****.
The head of CTA was questioned about whether his organization has gone far enough in helping homeless individuals find shelters, even though authorities have not confirmed if the victims were homeless.
CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. stated, “We are offering services to individuals on CTA that can provide them options other than sleeping on CTA if they so choose to take advantage of it.”.
Advocacy groups claim that the number of homeless persons using CTA trains is rising.
According to some advocacy groups, there are still many things that could have been done to stop this violence.
An additional problem was brewing well before disaster struck the CTA Blue Line: an increasing number of homeless people were living on the tracks.
“Therefore, the incident over the weekend raised a red flag,” David Wywialowski, Director of Health Outreach at The Night Ministry, stated.
The Night Ministry, an advocacy group for the homeless, has been at the forefront of this for years, particularly assisting those at the Forest Park transit station where the horrific discovery was made by CTA employees.
“Being homeless on the streets or in trains puts you in a very vulnerable position. It’s really difficult for those who don’t have a place to live, as we are learning,” Wywialowski stated.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, a representative for Forest Park, believes that more work has to be done to address the underlying issues of drug use and mental health among the homeless.
Ford stated, “This is the heroin highway that we are on, and the train is a part of being using drugs, buying drugs.”. “The West Side Heroin Task Force is always pointing out how much housing is needed. They frequently highlight the need for people to receive support for their mental and behavioral health. Furthermore, if we treat it seriously, we might be able to stop situations like this from occurring. “. .
Director of Outreach for the West Side Heroin Task Force is Luther Syas.
Says stated, “Trying to get people off the streets to save lives.”.
According to Ford, state leaders may be able to more effectively address health-related needs if the 11-15 waiver bill, which is currently in the deadlock, passes.
The Chicago Coalition to end Homelessness released a statement following the shooting, stating, “On Monday, September 2, four people were senselessly murdered on the CTA Blue Line: Adrian Collins, Simeon Bihesi, and two unidentified victims. CCH is devastated to learn of this tragedy.”. It is our understanding that at the time of their murder, the majority, if not all, of them were homeless and sleeping on the train. It is imperative that the murderer face consequences for taking their lives and be held accountable for this horrific deed. We offer the friends and family of the deceased our sincere condolences.
Regardless of housing status, everyone has the right to feel safe and secure in our community. When presented with numerous undesirable options, a lot of homeless people turn to public transportation as a place that provides a sense of safety and community. The fact that the murderer killed them in this exact spot highlights how broken our society is.
These killings are not isolated incidents of brutality; rather, they represent a stark illustration of the daily brutality, suffering, and cruelty that homeless people must endure just to stay without a place to live. We must accept that this is a direct result of the systemic flaws that have allowed over 68,000 people to become homeless in Chicago alone, rather than brushing it off as a sad, isolated incident.
Affordably funding permanent housing and other services that the homeless require to feel truly safe, protected from violent acts, and given an opportunity to flourish is the only viable long-term solution. All levels of government—local, county, state, and federal—need to take greater action to safeguard and assist the homeless and ensure that they receive the services and permanent housing they are entitled to. This action requires increased funding and improved policies. Nobody ought to be in danger like these four victims were.
Our culture is rife with justifications for why now is not the right moment to commit significant resources toward ending homelessness. If not now, when will this moment come along?
