- Last November, a woman was set on fire on a CTA train.
- Weeks later, an elderly man was brutally attacked and knocked onto the tracks.
- In December of last year, a man was severely beaten on a CTA bus and spent Christmas Eve in a hospital bed.
- That same month, another individual set himself on fire on the Blue Line.
- Earlier this year, an international student from India was robbed on a CTA train and is now considering leaving the city because he no longer feels safe.
- In the same month, a man filmed himself fatally stabbing another passenger on a CTA train.
- Just last week, a bus driver was violently assaulted while in uniform.
Crime on the poorly managed CTA system is not a new problem. Yet when Democrats had the opportunity to address public safety in their mass transit bailout legislation, their solution was to deploy unarmed “transit ambassadors” instead of strengthening law enforcement presence.
Only after the threat of withheld federal funding did the CTA move to bring in additional patrol support from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. That should not be what it takes to finally prioritize rider safety.
This federal investigation is not a sham. It is a necessary step to restore accountability and protect commuters. While Governor Pritzker downplays the crisis, House Republicans are working to deliver real public safety solutions. They have introduced more than 40 proposals to fix the broken SAFE-T Act and ensure repeat violent offenders are held behind bars instead of cycling back onto the streets and transit system.
Chicago families deserve to feel safe on their way to work, school, and home. It is past time for state leaders to take that responsibility seriously.