An Illinois man was charged with murder on Tuesday in connection with the Labor Day killing of four individuals who were asleep in their seats on a Chicago commuter train.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged Rhanni S. Davis, 30, of Chicago, with four charges of first-degree murder, according to the Forest Park Police Department.
It was not immediately known Tuesday afternoon whether Davis had hired a counsel. The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The county medical examiner recognized three of the fatalities in a statement: Adrian Collins, 60, who was shot in the head; Margaret A. Miller, 64, who was also wounded in the head; and Simeon Bihesi, 28, who was shot numerous times.
According to the statement, the fourth victim, who was shot many times, has yet to be identified.
After checking surveillance footage, authorities determined that all seemed to be sleeping at the time of the shooting and were seated in two separate train compartments. According to authorities, three of the victims died immediately, while the fourth died in the hospital.
Lt. Daniel Pater of the Forest Park Police Department stated during a news conference Tuesday that ballistic evidence obtained from a gun the guy was reportedly carrying when apprehended matched evidence discovered on the train.
He stated six rounds were fired from a 9mm handgun, five on one car and one on the other. Pater added that police had retrieved all of the casings.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx stated at a news conference on Tuesday that the shooter allegedly hovered over the victims and “pumped bullets into their bodies.”
“I think it is safe to say that this was a random attack,” she told me.
During a news briefing on Monday, Forest Park Deputy Chief Chris Chin announced that a suspect had been arrested and a weapon had been discovered.
“This appears to be an isolated incident on this unfortunate day,” Chin told the crowd. “It’s a horrible situation.”
The incident took place around 5:30 a.m. on a moving Chicago Transit Authority train at a Blue Line station in Forest Park, according to authorities on Facebook.
Police said the suspect was found on a Pink route rail route, and they were also looking for a witness to the attack.
Chin commended Chicago police for locating the perpetrator after a description was sent to local authorities. He also thanked Chicago Transit Authority security for assisting in the ongoing investigation.
The Chicago Transit Authority described the shooting as a “heinous and egregious act of violence” that should never have occurred on a public train.
According to the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, violence against homeless people is not random, and more has to be done to safeguard them from criminal activity.
“Everyone has the right to feel and be safe in our community, regardless of their housing status,” according to the announcement.
At Tuesday’s news conference, Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval R. Carter declined to say whether the victims were homeless.
“Clearly, in this particular case, individuals were sleeping on the train,” he told me.
Pater, who is leading the investigation, stated that security footage from the train has been vital to the case thus far. “The surveillance video was critical,” he added.
The suspect was due in court on Wednesday afternoon. While investigators appeared confident in their case and the evidence they had gathered, the motive remained unknown.
“It is horrific,” said prosecutor Foxx. “We want answers.”
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