A woman is in critical condition after being set on fire during an attack on a Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line train Monday night.
The incident occurred [1] at approximately 9:26 p.m., according to information provided to CWB Chicago by a source familiar with the investigation.
Meet Lawrence Reed.
He is facing terrorism charges after setting a 26-year-old woman on fire aboard a Chicago train.
According to reports, he doused her in gasoline and ignited it saying “burn alive b*tch.”
Reed has been arrested 49 times. FORTY-NINE. 10 of them being… pic.twitter.com/lduSGCx3wB [2]
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 20, 2025 [3]
Police initially stated that a 45-year-old male had a “verbal altercation” with the 27-year-old woman before the assault.
However, a source who spoke with CWB Chicago said the attack was unprovoked and random.
Officials reported that a person of interest was taken into custody but had not been charged as of the latest update.
The source told CWB Chicago that the woman was looking at her cell phone when the man approached and poured a liquid from a bottle onto her.
She attempted to run, but the man reportedly caught up to her and ignited the liquid, setting her on fire.
The source said the attacker was also set on fire during the incident.
The woman was transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
BREAKING: A suspect with 22 prior arrests, including arson, is reportedly in custody for setting a woman on fire aboard a Chicago train.
Entirely avoidable, this would qualify as another @GovPritzker [4] “SAFE-T Act” success story. pic.twitter.com/Q8Wtn0WY5H [5]
— Dapper Detective (@Dapper_Det) November 18, 2025 [6]
CWB Chicago reported that the suspect had previously been charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.
A judge denied a request to keep him in custody and instead ordered 24/7 electronic monitoring.
Three weeks later, another judge modified the conditions, allowing him to leave his home during daytime hours — which included the time the attack occurred.
According to the report, the individual had been arrested 22 times by the Chicago Police Department since 2016.
The arson incident would mark his 50th arrest, with some of his previous arrests involving other arson cases.
BREAKING: Woman set on fire riding the Chicago train
Lawrence Reed had 49 prior arrests (10 felonies) including knocking someone unconscious this August pic.twitter.com/1Mrnt3Yp7z [7]
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 20, 2025 [8]
A source told CWB Chicago that no passengers on the train intervened after the woman was set on fire.
“Even as she was on the ground trying to put out the fire consuming her, no one came to help” Chicago train pic.twitter.com/AxB0a1ELLj [9]
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 20, 2025 [10]