CHICAGO (WLS) — Hours after Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said he plans to move officers from desk duty and other non-patrol units to the CTA, there was another violent incident that left a teenager shot.
Crime tape surrounded the 79th Street Red Line station for the second time in three days Monday after, police say, a 17-year-old boy was critically hurt during a gun battle right outside the station.
The shooting comes as more cops are being added to the transit system after the fatal weekend shooting of 29-year-olds Dinte Moona father of an 8-year-old girl.
He was shot while onboard a Red Line train at the same 79th Street station.
Police are now looking for two men in connection with the murder.
Surveillance video clearly shows both men wanted by police.
Early Tuesday morning, a man, who is about 40 years old, was riding the CTA Red Line in the 1500-block of North Clybourn Avenue when a male suspect reached for his bag, police said.
The suspect took the bag, but police were able to locate him, according to CPD.
No one was injured, and charges are pending in the incident that took place about 3:30 am near the typically busy North Avenue and Clybourn shopping district.
To beef up staffing, the CTA is bringing back K-9 security teams that were removed in 2019, and CPD is reassigning officers from desk duty and specialized units.
“It makes me scared, very scared to even take the train,” CTA rider Charles Rowan said.
Though CTA-related crime is below pre-pandemic levels, ridership is about half of what it was in 2019.
So far this year, crime is up 33% compared to last year, with nearly 600 batteries reported — almost three a day.
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