FOREST PARK, Ill. (CBS) – A man has been charged in connection with a mass shooting that went viral Tuesday afternoon Four people died on a CTA Blue Line train The day before in the western suburbs Forest Park.
Rani Davis, 30, of Chicago, was charged with four counts of first-degree murder, according to Forest Park police, who announced the charges Tuesday evening along with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Fox and Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter.
All four victims were passengers on a Blue Line train bound for Forest Park Terminal when they were shot just before 5:30 a.m.
According to the police, three victims were found dead at the scene. The fourth victim was taken to a local hospital, where he died. Officials identified the two victims Tuesday afternoon as Simeon Bihes, a 28-year-old man, and Adrian Collins, a 60-year-old man.
Collins died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, and Bihes died of multiple gunshot wounds.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said one of the other two victims was a 52-year-old man, who remains unidentified pending notification of next of kin, and the other was a 64-year-old woman, now identified as Margaret Miller.
CTA security and Forest Park police located the suspected shooter using surveillance video. The suspect was located on the CTA Pink Line Train at the California Avenue stop in Little Village and was arrested Monday morning.
The weapon was recovered. According to Forest Park Police Lt. Daniel Pater, who heads the investigative division, the gun was a 9mm Glock 43 with six bullets.
Investigators said Davis matched six shell casings found in two cars at the Blue Line Forest Park stop.
Investigators said Davis opened fire near the Harlem station on the Oak Park-Forest Park Rural Line — one stop from the terminal. Davis was wearing a mask at the time, according to investigators.
Police said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident and that the suspect did not appear to know any of the victims, who appeared to be sleeping on the train. Police also said it did not appear the shooter was trying to rob the victim and that the attack was completely random.
“We should be free to ride the train, do yard work, hang out with our front porch friends,” Fox said. Public transport should be a safe space for everyone.
Fox pointed out that just two weeks ago, Chicago lit up — and hosted more than 50,000 people — for the Democratic National Convention.
“The incidents of the last 24 hours are a stark reminder of how far we have to go,” Fox said.
But Fox added that there are no answers yet about the motive for the “horrific, heinous act” and fears there never will be.
“It’s scary,” Fox said. “We want answers.
Meanwhile, Carter said CTA employees immediately began assisting police as soon as they heard about the heinous crime — helping with tasks like reviewing security camera footage. He also drew attention to the CTA’s own emphasis on safety.
“To our riders, we want you to know that we hear you and we understand your concerns about safety. The men and women of the CTA are united in our commitment to ensure that we are doing everything we can to keep our riders safe. As are our employees,” Carter said.
Carter said he could not comment on whether the four people who were shot and killed on the train were homeless.
“What I can tell you is that on the issue of homelessness itself, we have engaged and provided more resources to support homeless people at CTA than ever before in the history of our agency,” he said.
These efforts include Partnership with social agencies whose representatives are on the system every night to provide the homeless with options other than sleeping on the CTA.
But Carter added that the CTA alone cannot solve crises like homelessness and addiction.
“Tackling crime on the CTA is a very complex issue that involves multiple layers of security and police resources to address it,” Carter said.
just last week The CTA has announced that it is implementing a pilot program to include AI weapons detection technology on its system. Carter said the artificial intelligence software, ZeroEyes, was not a factor in the case.
ZeroEyes’ software only scans for firearms on platforms, and Carter said any decision to expand to trains will be made after the pilot is complete.
The entire mass shooting was caught on camera
Cameras on the trains captured everything that happened during the mass shooting. CBS News Chicago says the video is shocking and will be used as evidence.
“Multiple homicides on a CTA train are common,” CBS News Chicago legal analyst Irv Miller said. “The CTA has more cameras — high-definition cameras — than any other place in the entire country, so somebody basically had to say, ‘I’m going to do this and I don’t care if I get caught.’ ”
Davis has been arrested several times since 2014 and was sentenced to two years of probation that same year on a battery charge. He also pleaded guilty in 2020 to disorderly conduct.
If Davis is convicted of four counts of first-degree murder, the only sentence applicable in Illinois is life in a penitentiary without parole. Miller explained that the issue of mental state is really the only defense that applies in Davis’ case.
“There are defenses under the law, and one of the defenses that came up for me in a case like this is the insanity defense. If it comes up, it doesn’t matter if it’s on video tape or not. is a question Is the person’s state of mind – could the person have judged their behavior as criminal? Miller said. “So when you’ve shot four people while they’re sleeping — and it’s caught on videotape — frankly, you don’t have a lot of defense available.”
The mass shooting happened as CTA President Carter It was already under fire He demands resignation who did Headlines still in May. Some Chicago clergy’s disdain for Carter was renewed in the wake of the murders.
Meanwhile, the Forest Park Blue Line terminal was an area of concern for law enforcement for some time. Forest Park Village officials said the problems at the terminal go back years and have only gotten worse.
While officials did not confirm at a news conference Tuesday night whether the victims of the mass shooting were homeless, the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness said most, if not all, were experiencing homelessness.
“Everyone has the right to feel and be safe in our community, regardless of their housing status. Many people experiencing homelessness, when faced with many poor options, use public transportation as a space that offers a form of safety and community,” the organization. the statement said in part. The fact that a murderer took his life in this space highlights how we have failed as a society.
Davis will appear for a detention hearing Wednesday at Maybrook Court in Maywood, Foxx said. Prosecutors said they will provide more information about his criminal history and the facts of the case at Wednesday’s court hearing.
