Cop Shoots Man Who Attacked CTA Passenger
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A CTA passenger and bus driver were hospitalized Thursday evening after being attacked by another passenger, who Chicago Police shot and later Tased to subdue him.
The northbound California (No. 94) bus was stopped at a light at 63rd Street when "unruly passenger" began assaulting another passenger, CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said.
An apparently impaired 28-year-old passenger began "acting crazy," taking off his clothes and beating passengers on the bus, said Fraternal Order of Police spokesman Pat Camden.
The incident continued to escalate and a bus alarm was triggered about 3:50 p.m., according to a police statement.
Another passenger got off the bus and flagged down a marked police vehicle and the lone evidence technician inside approached the bus, police and Camden said.
The attacker exited the bus and the officer gave the suspect orders that he disregarded, police said.
The uniformed officer yelled, "Stop. Police," but the man kept approaching the officer, who shot him once, Camden said. The suspect stumbled back and then came at the officer again, who shot the man a second time.
Other officers then arrived and needed to deploy a Taser on the man when he resisted arrest, Camden said. The officers needed to use the Taser a second time to get him into an ambulance.
The attacker was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Camden said.
Police said multiple people on the bus were battered. A passenger was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, Hosinski said. The bus driver also went to Holy Cross Hospital, she said.
The CTA rerouted southbound California (No. 94) buses to Western Avenue between Marquette Road and 59th Street.
The Independent Police Review Authority is investigating.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
