Cops: Man fired assault rifle in Chicago subway station

CHICAGO -- A 25-year-old man has been charged with firing an assault rifle at a Chicago Transit Authority train inside a subway station, CBS Chicago station WBBM-TV reports.

Lorenzo Jones was scheduled to appear in bond court Friday to face two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and one count each of aggravated assault with a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.

Police said Jones fired at least five shots at a northbound Blue Line train around 11:20 a.m. Thursday. No one was injured in the shooting although a CTA employee who was at the station was transported to the hospital for stress related to the incident.

Jones allegedly fled the station but didn't get far. He was arrested just outside the subway exit. Police said he still had the gun and was carrying more than 60 rounds of ammunition when he was taken into custody.

Police said the assault rifle he used had been reported stolen in Indiana.

Will Gerlach, a photographer and a student at Columbia College, said when he heard a commotion while in his dorm room, he grabbed his camera.

"It seemed a lot scarier than it ended up being because no one was actually hurt," he said. "Shots were fired, but no one was injured. That's fantastic, but when a man was being taken down by officers with assault rifles, yeah, I was worried. It was a little bit crazy. Like, what has happened that they would have that kind of power down here?"

John Langston said he was riding the targeted train when Jones allegedly opened fire.

"It was shocking," he said. "It was real gunshots."

Dari Leyba also was riding the Blue Line at the time. She was visiting Chicago for the first time.

"I asked the shuttle driver that brought us to the train, the Blue Line train station, if the subways were safe, and he said, 'Yes, of course they are,'" she said with a laugh. "And now this. But I'm sure they must be safe."