Chicago police and the CTA are investigating after a man was robbed and hit over the head with a wine bottle during a brazen attack that has since gone viral after footage was posted to social media.
In the video, posted by a Facebook user, multiple assailants are seen assailing a man on a CTA Red Line train, asking for his identification and then snatching an unopened bottle of wine from him.
Video then shows the suspects reaching into his pocket and stealing money, and as the man begins to get up, one of the suspects strikes him in the head with a wine bottle, leaving him dazed and bleeding profusely in his seat.
“When I finished watching it, as you saw, it’s painful to watch,” Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez, who is also running for mayor, said. “You feel the pain.”
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Lopez says that he is pushing hard for stronger safety measures on all trains as CTA attacks continue to occur.
“How many more victims do we need to see on public transit, before we say what we are doing isn’t working? That having unarmed guards, having dogs, that is not working,” he said.
The CTA issued a statement after the attack, calling it “absolutely reprehensible.”
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“This kind of behavior is absolutely reprehensible and should not happen to any CTA customer,” officials said. “CTA began working very closely with CPD immediately after the incident was reported, including sharing relevant video from our security camera system.”
Chicago police issued a community alert as they continue to search for suspects in the attack, and say that they are continuing to up their manpower throughout the public transit system.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to call Mass Transit detectives at 312-745-4443. Tips can also be submitted to CPDTIP.com.
