A man from Chicago faces murder charges for the fatal shootings of four sleeping passengers on a Chicago Transit Authority train, authorities reported. Rhanni S. Davis, 30, was charged on Tuesday with four counts of first-degree murder, according to the Forest Park Police Department. Davis is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday afternoon, stated Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx during a news conference.
The shooting occurred around 5:30 a.m. on the Blue Line train heading to Forest Park, west of downtown Chicago. Davis was detained approximately 90 minutes later. Police recovered a Glock 43 9mm pistol used in the shooting.
Authorities consider this an isolated and random attack with no known motive, said Forest Park Police Department Det. Lt. Dan Pater. Foxx described the incident as a man boarding a train and shooting sleeping passengers, expressing a need for answers regarding the motive.
Rhanni S. Davis, a 30-yr-old Chicago resident, has been charged with 4 counts of first-degree murder following a shooting on a CTA Blue Line train. Four people lost their lives in what the authorities called a “random act of violence” after the tragedy.https://t.co/URSjhTGedh pic.twitter.com/grPLbJMc9H
— B Gallagher (@Gally66kg) September 4, 2024
The shooting took place in two train cars, with three victims in one car and the fourth in another. Three victims were dead at the scene; the fourth died later at a hospital in Maywood. The Cook County Medical Examiner identified three victims as 60-year-old Adrian Collins, 28-year-old Simeon Bihesi, and 64-year-old Margaret A. Miller. The fourth victim, a man, remains unidentified as police are still notifying his family.
Surveillance footage played a crucial role in identifying Davis. The Blue Line, which spans 27 miles from O’Hare International Airport to Forest Park, resumed service Monday evening. The victims may have been homeless, suggested Forest Park Deputy Chief Chris Chin, but no concrete evidence has confirmed this.
The transit authority condemned the violence in a statement, labelling it as shocking and uncommon on public transit. Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins called the shooting an “outlier” for the city.
In a separate incident, another passenger was seriously injured in a stabbing on the Red Line hours after the shooting. The stabbing followed a verbal altercation between a 37-year-old victim and an unknown man, who repeatedly stabbed the victim. The victim fled to the 4700 block of N. Broadway and was transported to Illinois Masonic Hospital in critical condition. The suspect in the stabbing remains at large, with detectives investigating the case.
What Other Media Are Saying
- ABC7 Chicago reports that Rhanni S. Davis was charged with four Forest Park murders after four people were killed in a CTA Blue Line train shooting, with the suspect taken into custody on a CTA Pink Line train.(read more)
- The New York Times reports on a Chicago man charged with the fatal shootings of four sleeping train passengers, highlighting the randomness of the attack and the subsequent arrest of Rhanni S. Davis.(read more)
- CNN reports a 30-year-old Chicago man has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of four sleeping train passengers.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Who was charged with the Chicago train shootings?
Rhanni S. Davis, 30, was charged with four counts of first-degree murder.
When did the Chicago train shootings happen?
The shootings were reported around 5:30 a.m. on Monday.
What weapon was used in the Chicago train shootings?
A Glock 43 9mm pistol was used in the shootings.
Were there any other violent incidents on Chicago trains that day?
Yes, another passenger was seriously injured in a stabbing on the Red Line.
Have the police identified a motive for the Chicago train shootings?
No, there is no identified motive at this time.