Boy, 13, Injured In CTA Red Line Train Shooting in Chicago’s South Side

Unsafe Premises - April 19, 2025

Investigation Underway After 13-Year-Old Boy Injured in Chicago Transit Authority Red Line Train Shooting by Garfield Stop

Boy, 13, Injured In CTA Red Line Train Shooting in Chicago's South Side

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (April 18, 2025) – A 13-year-old boy was seriously injured in a shooting while on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Red Line train in the South Side of Chicago.

Cook County officials are saying that the shooting took place around 8:30 PM on Wednesday. The train was approaching a traffic stop on W. Garfield Blvd. in Fuller Park.

A boy on the train was shot and taken to Comer Children’s Hospital with serious injuries. It remains unclear who the perpetrator is or what may have led up to the shooting.

A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Liability for Chicago Transit Authority Train Shootings

Attacks on trains and other forms of transportation remain very common. Many of the victims are train employees. According to CBS News, “In the last week, at least two Chicago Transit Authority employees have found themselves at the center of a crime — both times on the Blue Line along the Eisenhower Expressway on the city’s West Side. Union leaders now say their members who work for the CTA continue to worry about their safety — to the point where many do not want to come to work.” Transit authorities should take a number of measures in order to prevent assaults.

  • Security: Transit authorities should have a visible security presence to act as a deterrent for criminals.
  • Surveillance: High-quality cameras can also act as a deterrent. They can also be used to help identify perpetrators so that they can be captured at a later time.
  • Design: Transit authorities should design train cars and spaces that do not have blind spots or isolated areas.

Transit authorities have a legal obligation to protect their customers from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes protecting them from criminal activity. When a property owner has actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition on their property, they must take action. Failing to take action could form the basis of a negligence claim. In particular, transit companies should take measures when they are aware that certain attacks are taking place.

A number of lawsuits have been filed against the Chicago Transit Authority after passengers have been attacked. Consider, for example, Eagan v. Chicago Transit Authority (1994). A passenger attempted to intervene on a CTA train after another passenger was being pickpocketed. They were subsequently attacked with a razor and injured by the thief. Attorneys for the plaintiff argued that the CTA was aware of similar attacks and still failed to implement preventative measures. It is important that certain steps are taken after any attack on a CTA train.

  • Medical records related to any incident should be preserved.
  • Surveillance footage should be sought.
  • The history of similar incidents on the CTA train should be understood.
  • The preventative actions that the CTA has taken should be investigated.
  • An experienced CTA train assault attorney should be contacted.

It can be hard to know where to begin if you’ve been attacked on a CTA train in Chicago. Victims of these attacks have been punched, stabbed, shot, and sexually assaulted. But in far too many instances, it has become clear that the CTA has not taken sufficient action to deter these crimes. It is important for victims to understand that they do have legal rights. They are able to seek some measure of accountability through a personal injury claim.

Investigating Chicago Transit Authority Train Attacks

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates were deeply concerned to hear about this boy injured in an attack on the Chicago Transit Authority Red Line train. It is our sincere hope that he is able to make a full recovery. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. The CTA should investigate what measures they can take to make their trains safer for all passengers.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an attack on a Chicago Transit Authority train? You may have legal recourse. Our team of train assault attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.