Forest Park shooting: What we know after 4 shot, killed while sleeping on CTA Blue Line train (2024)

UPDATE: Murder charges have been filed in this case. Read the latest details here.

CTA Blue Line trains in Forest Park were facing delays Tuesday morning, more than 24 hours after four people were shot and killed while riding the line early Monday morning in what appeared to be a random attack.

According to a 3:45 a.m. announcement, CTA said Blue Line trains, which operate between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Forest Park, were running with delays "due to a temporary shortage of available staff."

"At this time, our operations staff areworking to run as much service as frequently and manage service to be spaced as evenly as possible," the announcement continued. No further details on the staffing shortage were provided.

By 6 a.m., no service delays were posted to CTA's website, and it appeared that normal service had resumed.

The earlier delays come as police continue to investigate a Labor Day shooting on the train that left three men and one woman dead.

Here's what we know so far.

What happened on the Forest Park Blue Line?

According to authorities, around 5:30 a.m. Monday, police received a 911 call of several people shot on a train at the Forest Park CTA Blue Line station.

Upon arrival, officers emptied the station and found four people had been shot on the train. Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. A fourth was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.

Records from the Cook County Medical Examiner later showed that three of the victims were male, and one was female. The identification of the victims has not yet been released.

What surveillance video showed

According to authorities, surveillance video revealed the four victims were likely asleep in different parts of the westbound train when the attack occurred.

No fights or prior confrontation were observed in the surveillance footage, police said, and officials were working to track down eyewitnesses.

While a motive has not been established, police say the shootings appeared to be random in nature.

Suspect in custody

The suspect in the case fled the train after the shooting, with police using surveillance footage to identify the individual. The suspect was later found onboard a CTA Pink Line train and was taken into custody. A weapon was also recovered, but it is unclear if it was the same gun used in the attacks.

Officials on Monday said charges were expected to be filed in the next 24 hours.

Statements from CTA, Forest Park officials

In a statement released Monday, the CTA called the incident a "heinous and egregious act of violence."

"Although this was an isolated incident, this heinous and egregious act of violence should never have occurred, none the less on a public transit train," the statement began. The full statement can be found below.

"As soon as this matter was reported, CTA immediately deployed resources to assist the Forest Park Police in their investigation into the matter, including review of all possible security camera footage, which proved to be vital in aiding local enforcement. We commend both the Forest Park Police Department for their thorough and collaborative efforts to provide information to partner agencies; as well as the Chicago Police Department whose quick actions led to the apprehension of a suspect in this matter. CTA will continue to work with local law enforcement as part of this ongoing investigation."

Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins called on city and state leaders for more resources and security on the train.

"Over the last two years, our number of responses have increased exponentially, so we are counting on leaders countywide, statewide, to invest in more resources to support a small community like Forest Park and securing this area," Hoskins said during a press conference.

State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford also released a statement.

"As a Representative of Forest Park, we extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this horrific tragedy that occurred on the CTA Blue Line in Forest Park," the statement read in part. "This act of senseless violence has shaken our community, and we stand firmly with Mayor Rory Hoskins in calling for more extraordinary safety measures and resources to prevent such incidents from happening again."

In a press conference Monday, Forest Park Deputy Chief Chris Chin called the shooting a "horrible situation."

"It’s something you don’t want to wake up to," Chin said. "Everyone is supposed to be enjoying their time off. So to actually have to be there to address a situation like this, its horrible."