CTA

Man Fatally Stabbed on CTA Blue Line as Chicago Police Cancel Days Off Leading up to Memorial Day

Hours after Chicago Police Supt. David Brown discussed crime in the city and on the CTA, a man riding a Blue Line train was found fatally stabbed in the chest.

The deadly stabbing occurred just one day before Chicago police are set to cancel a week's worth of days off leading up to Memorial Day in an effort to combat crime.

Just before 11 p.m. Monday, police and first responders were called to the Ida B. Wells CTA Blue Line station not far from the Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, at the 400 block of S. Clinton, officials say.

Police say they then made contact with an unidentified male victim on the platform, approximately 40 years old, who while on the train had sustained a stab wound to the chest.

The victim was transported to a nearby hospital where he died from his injuries.

"At approximately 10:44 p.m., there were reports of a disturbance onboard a NB Blue Line train at Clinton," the CTA said in a statement to NBC 5. "There was a delay in service, but normal service has resumed. CTA is assisting in the investigation, including providing any relevant security camera footage."

There is no one in custody detectives are investigating.

Earlier Monday, Brown said that since March, an additional 130 police officers had been deployed to patrol platforms, trains and buses to address violent crime and attacks occurring across CTA lines. CTA also says it has added private security to patrol the transit.

Last month, a group of around 50 unarmed volunteers made up of former servicemembers and martial artists known as "Violence Interrupters" announced they will who will be riding the CTA with the purpose of patrolling cars and hoping to curb crime.

And on May 11, Chicago Police, announced that the department would be canceling all days off beginning Tuesday and leading up to Memorial Day in an effort add more resources to areas that are seeing increased crime.

"To ensure public safety in all areas of the city, days off have been canceled for all full-duty sworn members ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend from Tuesday, May 24 until Tuesday, May 31," a Chicago Police Department spokesperson said.

"The Department may also implement 12-hour tours of duty if operational needs arise."

Violent attacks and robberies on the CTA have continued through the spring, including an armed robbery where a man was critically hurt and held at gunpoint, an armed robbery when a man was held at knifepoint, and a violent robbery that left a man unconscious and sent him to the hospital.

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