Teen Demands Better CTA Security After Violent Robbery On Pink Line
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A teen was recovering Thursday after a robbery on a Chicago Transit Authority train turned violent.
As CBS 2's Cesar Rodriguez reported, the suspects remained on the loose late Thursday – after the third time that something like this happened in the same location in the month of July.
The victim, Bryan Garcia, was at the Kostner Avenue Pink Line station around 7 p.m. this past Saturday when he was attacked. He followed the assailants, but then realized he could have lost his life.
Garcia and his mother were talking about the robbery five days later. The injuries he suffered remained visible, and the pain continued to bother him.
"When I try to open my mouth even a little bit, like, higher, it hurts right here," Garcia said as he held his left temple. "That's where the bruise is."
Garcia, 16, said he was on the Pink Line train after a day of work. As he used his iPhone, three men stood around him.
Garcia realized something was not right and tried to put the phone away – but one of them snatched it from his hands.
"They then took my phone and then hit me," Garcia said.
The doors opened and the suspects ran off. The high school student followed them and tried to hold one at the Kostner station platform, but the others started to beat him and slashed his ear.
"They just kind of like pushed me. I don't remember in what order, but they just kind of, like I said, all this," Garcia said, drawing attention to his face that was injured. "Three of them got onto the tracks then, and then just grabbed my phone and started to run off."
CBS 2 found that two similar incidents happened this month in the same area. The first was on July 3, the second three days later.
Police said someone stole the victims' property and ran off.
The victim's mother, Araceli Garduno, said she is thankful her son is OK. Meanwhile, Garcia said he would like to see better security on the CTA system.
"After what I have gone through, I would demand that CTA would up their security a bit more," he said.
The CTA said the safety and security of their passengers is their number one priority. They are working closely with police.