Man arrested with machete on CTA twice in 3 days – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: nvmwebsites-budwg5g9avh3epea.z03.azurefd.net)
Chicago police stopped Ronald Reed at the Clark-Lake station on July 8 after spotting an open can of alcohol. Officers then found a machete in his possession. The 31-year-old was released the next day on minor charges that did not allow detention under state law. Two days later, sheriff’s deputies encountered Reed again on a Green Line train near the Austin station. He once more held an open beer. A search turned up another machete along with a knife.
Initial Stop and Release
The first encounter began as a routine check for the open alcohol container. Officers discovered the machete during that stop. Court records show Reed faced only ordinance violations for the weapon and alcohol on transit property, plus a misdemeanor count of obstructing police.
Those offenses fall outside the list of detainable charges under the SAFE-T Act. Reed appeared in court on July 9 and walked free while awaiting further proceedings. Prosecutors did not pursue a felon-in-possession count at that stage, though the reason remains unclear from available records.
Second Encounter on the Green Line
Deputies boarded the train around 2:15 p.m. on July 11 after observing Reed with the open beer. They took him into custody for disorderly conduct. Body-camera footage captured the moment officers asked what else he carried…