A routine Monday night commute on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line turned into a nightmare when a rider was doused with gasoline and set on fire, leaving a 26-year-old woman with severe burns and in critical condition. Federal prosecutors say 50-year-old Lawrence Reed was arrested the next morning and is now charged in connection with the attack, which has been circulating in graphic videos online and sparked vows from federal officials to move aggressively on the case.
Prosecutors allege that Lawrence Reed filled a bottle with gasoline at a Garfield Park gas station about 30 minutes before the attack took place, getting on the Blue Line at the Kedzie Stop before he allegedly approached the woman in the train car.https://t.co/IwQS11A0b7
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) November 19, 2025
How Prosecutors Say The Attack Unfolded
According to a federal criminal complaint, Reed approached the woman while she was seated on the train, removed the cap from a plastic bottle and poured what is believed to be gasoline over her head and body before trying to ignite it. The complaint says the woman ran toward the front of the car as Reed chased her, then lit the bottle and used it to set her on fire. She managed to exit at the Clark and Lake platform before collapsing and was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Those details are laid out in federal court filings and summarized by reporters on the scene, according to The Associated Press.
Gas Station Stop And Chilling Video Trail
Reporting based on a 13-page criminal complaint states that less than a half hour before boarding the Blue Line, Reed was captured on surveillance video pumping gasoline into a small container at a Citgo in the 3300 block of West Harrison. He was later seen moving through the train car with a bottle that investigators say was recovered partially melted. Authorities also reported recovering a lighter, suspected ignitable liquid from the victim’s seat and burned pieces of clothing, as documented in court records and reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. Prosecutors have described the surveillance footage as difficult to watch and expect to use it at upcoming hearings.
Arrest, Courtroom Outburst And Criminal History
Chicago police found Reed downtown the next morning. Officers say he was still wearing the same clothes seen in the surveillance footage and had fire-related injuries to his right hand. Body-worn camera video and court reports state that Reed repeatedly shouted profanities, allegedly yelling "burn b----" and "burn alive b----" while being transported. He also disrupted his first appearance in federal court by loudly proclaiming "I plead guilty." Federal agents and prosecutors pointed to Reed’s lengthy criminal record, including an arson conviction linked to a 2020 Thompson Center fire and a recent aggravated battery case, as they outlined the case to reporters, according to WTTW.
High-Stakes Federal Case
Federal prosecutors have charged Reed with committing a terrorist attack on a mass transportation system, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Officials have said the case could become eligible for the death penalty if the victim dies, even though Illinois abolished capital punishment in 2011. A detention hearing is scheduled for Friday, when prosecutors say they will lay out Reed’s criminal history and pending cases in more detail, according to The Associated Press.
CTA Response And Public Fallout
The Chicago Transit Authority says it is cooperating fully with investigators and pointed to its existing security strategy, which includes extensive use of surveillance cameras. Federal officials have indicated that video evidence will be central to their case, WTTW reported. The attack has drawn national attention and been spotlighted by federal officials and public leaders as disturbing videos from the train continue to circulate online.
