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Man Accused of Fiery CTA Attack Deemed Danger to Community, Held Without Bail
A Chicago man, Lawrence Reed, 50, will remain in federal custody following a judge’s ruling on Friday, citing that he poses a significant danger to the community. Reed faces a federal terrorism charge for an alleged “horrific and gruesome attack” on a Chicago L train, where he is accused of pouring gasoline on a woman and setting her on fire. The victim sustained severe burns and remains hospitalized in critical condition.
During his detention hearing, Reed, who declined legal counsel and chose to represent himself, informed the judge he also wished to be detained for his own safety.
The unprovoked assault occurred Monday night near the Clark and Lake station on a Blue Line train and was captured on CTA security video. Authorities also presented surveillance footage showing Reed filling a bottle at a gas station pump approximately 20 minutes before the alleged attack. Prosecutors stated the footage clearly shows Reed pouring a liquid on the 26-year-old victim, who was seated with her back to him, before igniting her after she fought him off and fled.
Reed was arrested the day after the incident and charged with committing a terrorist attack against a mass transportation system. He has not yet entered a plea.
Prosecutors had strongly advocated for Reed’s detention, arguing in a pre-hearing motion that he “presents a clear danger and persistent threat of terror to the community” due to the nature of the crime and his extensive criminal history. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros stated, “The state court system has been unable to contain defendant’s violent crimes, and federal intervention is now needed.”
Court filings indicate Reed has been arrested by Chicago police at least 72 times over the past three decades, with 15 arrests occurring since 2016. He has approximately 15 convictions, including for criminal damage to government property, drug possession, and an arson incident in 2020 where he set a downtown Chicago government building ablaze.
At the time of Monday’s attack, Reed was facing aggravated battery charges in Cook County for striking an individual at a hospital three months prior. Despite objections from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, he was initially released on electronic monitoring, a condition that was later removed by another judge. Boutros highlighted that Reed was under a curfew that would have prohibited him from being out at the time of the train attack.
Boutros further argued, “Defendant has been leniently treated in state court, including receiving probationary sentences for violent offenses and pre-trial release for a victim-involved crime. In exchange for such lenient treatment, defendant has consistently re-offended and delved further into criminality.”
Reed’s behavior during his initial court appearance, where he reportedly “disrupted the proceedings by singing, babbling, and instructing the Court to not speak to him,” also contributed to the judge’s decision. Based on this conduct, the judge recommended Reed undergo a psychological evaluation.