The CTA tweeted at approximately 8:40 p.m. that 95th-bound Red Line trains in Granville, Chicago’s North Side Edgewater neighborhood, were at a standstill because of an injured train operator. Chicago police said the male operator was about to resume service on the south side when a woman asked him to help retrieve a cell phone that had fallen on the tracks.
Police said he got off the train to help, and as soon as he saw the tracks, he was pushed from behind.
CTA officials said the operator did not contact the electrified third rail. He was taken to St. Francis Hospital for treatment in a healthy condition.
Officials said the CTA is working with Chicago police to identify a suspect.
No one is currently in custody.
Last month, officials said violent crime on CTA trains had increased by 28%, prompting the CPD to depute teams of officers for public transport.
“More” security guards for trains and buses were also appointed and deployed seven days a week.
Overall in 2022, there has been a 41% increase in crime on all CTA vehicles. Police said that till now in 2022, 102 reports of battery, 89 of battery and 63 of theft have been received.
Commuter Gunnar Sadoway said he bought a car to commute to his job at Edgewater, and is particularly fed up with the red line.
“Just a lot of sketchy characters and I mean, just want to stand away from people, and there’s a lot of yelling and yelling and people getting in your face,” he said. “Standard Chicago Public Transportation Stuff.”
The CTA stressed that overall this is a very secure system, saying in a statement, “Although yesterday’s incident was a very rare occurrence, we absolutely do not tolerate anyone seeking to harm our employees.” We do.” Doing.”
The Train Operators Union says the answer is to bring back conductors who were cut in the late 1990s for budgetary reasons.
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