Chicago Man Charged With Murder Of 4 People As They Were Sleeping On Train

An Illinois man was charged with murder Tuesday in connection with the Labor Day shooting that killed four people who authorities said were asleep in their seats on a Chicago-area commuter train.

According to the Forest Park Police Department, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged Rhannie S. Davis, 30, of Chicago, with four counts of first-degree murder.

It was not immediately clear Tuesday afternoon whether Davis had retained an attorney. The Cook County Public Defender’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement, the county medical examiner identified the three victims: Adrian Collins, 60, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head; Margaret A. Miller, 64, who also suffered a gunshot wound to the head; and Simeon Bihesi, 28, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

The fourth victim, who was also shot multiple times, remains unidentified, according to the statement.

All appeared to be asleep when they were shot and were sitting separately from each other in two different cars of the train, police said after reviewing security footage. Three of the victims died instantly and the fourth died in a hospital, authorities said.

Lt. Daniel Pater of the Forest Park Police Department said at a news conference Tuesday that ballistic evidence found on the gun the suspect allegedly had on him when he was arrested matched evidence found on the train.

He said six bullets were fired from a 9mm pistol, including five into one car and one into another. Police recovered all the shell casings, Pater said.

Cook County District Attorney Kimberly Foxx said at a news conference Tuesday that the alleged shooter stood over the victims and “injected bullets into their bodies.”

“I think it’s safe to say it was a random attack,” she said.

Forest Park Deputy Chief Chris Chin said Monday during a news conference that a suspect was detained and a weapon was recovered.

“It appears to be an isolated incident on this unfortunate day,” Chin said. “It’s a terrible situation.”

The shooting occurred around 5:30 a.m. on a Chicago Transit Authority train at the Blue Line station in Forest Park, authorities said on Facebook.

Police said the suspect was found on the Pink Line train line. They added that officers were trying to locate a person they believe witnessed the attack.

Chin said Chicago police found the suspect after a description was provided to local authorities. He also praised Chicago Transit Authority security for helping with the ongoing investigation.

The Chicago Transit Authority called the shooting a “heinous and egregious act of violence” that should never have happened on a public train.

The Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness said in a statement that violence against homeless people is not random and more needs to be done to protect them from crime.

“Everyone has the right to feel safe in our community, regardless of housing status,” the statement said.

At a news conference Tuesday, Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval R. Carter said he could not determine whether the victims were homeless.

“It is obvious that in this particular case people were sleeping on the train,” he said.

Pater, who is leading the investigation, said CCTV footage from the train had been key to the case so far. “The CCTV footage was key,” he said.

The suspect was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon. While authorities seemed confident in their case and the evidence they had gathered, the motive remained unclear.

“It’s horrifying,” Foxx said. “We want answers.”