Shooting on CTA Blue Line in Forest Park: 4 people shot while sleeping on train found at 711 Desplaines Avenue, officials say

FOREST PARK, Ill. (WLS) — A suspect is in custody after four people were shot while sleeping on a CTA Blue Line train in Forest Park Monday morning, officials said.

CTA workers discovered the gruesome scene around 5:30 a.m. as the inbound train was approaching the station at 711 Desplaines Avenue. Forest Park police said they received a 911 call that three people had been shot on a train.

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When officers arrived at the scene, they found four gunshot victims. Three of them were pronounced dead at the scene, and a fourth was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where he later died.

“Shocking. You know, it's unusual for a mass shooting like this to occur, especially so close to my home,” said Forest Park Deputy Police Chief Christopher Chin.

Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins said the shooting likely occurred one stop away, near the Harlem Blue Line station. Hoskins said the victims, all adults, were asleep when they were killed.

“These victims probably didn't see this coming,” Hoskins said. “They were executed on Labor Day. In our community, people go to the pool. They go to the park. You know, they have barbecues. But today, a lot of people called the mayor's office, expressing their concerns, asking if they were safe.”

Police say the shooter fled the scene, but with the help of CTA surveillance video, officers arrived at a CTA Pink Line station within 90 minutes, where they arrested a suspect and recovered the weapon allegedly used in the shooting.

“We believe he got off at the Forest Park station and was arrested at a Pink Line station somewhere in Chicago. So he may have boarded a train going in the opposite direction,” Hoskins said.

According to police, the shooting occurred in two different train cars.

“I mean, it's a terrible situation,” Chin said. “It's definitely something you don't want to wake up to. It's Monday morning on a holiday. Everyone should be enjoying their time off, spending time with their families, it's Labor Day. To actually have to be here to sort out a situation like this is terrible.”

Forest Park police and the West Suburban Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the shooting. Police said it appears to be an isolated incident and there is no major threat to the public.

Hoskins said police calls to the station had increased due to incidents such as overdoses.

“Over the last two years, the number of responses we have received has increased exponentially,” Hoskins said.

Hoskins said Forest Park is the only suburban community where two major rail lines terminate, and because of this, the station has an increased crime rate.

“We are calling on our leadership across the county and across the state to invest more resources to support a small community like Forest Park,” Hoskins said.

Hoskins said those resources could be provided through a combination of increased security staff and the deployment of additional staff on the trains.

“It is justified that people feel unsafe,” Chin said.

The suspect and victims in this shooting have yet to be identified.

The CTA has a new Zero Eyes security system that provides 24/7 surveillance on CTA train platforms and can detect firearms. However, this technology is only used at select stations and the CTA said it was not a factor in the Forest Park investigation.

There will be delays on the Blue Line on Monday evening.

The CTA said in a statement: “Although this was an isolated incident, this heinous and outrageous act of violence should never have taken place, especially not on a public transport train.

“As soon as this incident was reported, CTA immediately committed resources to assist Forest Park Police with their investigation. This included reviewing all possible surveillance camera footage, which proved critical in assisting local law enforcement.

“We commend both the Forest Park Police Department for their thorough and cooperative efforts in providing information to partner agencies, as well as the Chicago Police Department, whose quick actions led to the arrest of a suspect in this matter.

“CTA will continue to cooperate with local law enforcement as part of this ongoing investigation.”