A Chicago man has been charged with a federal terrorism offense after allegedly setting a passenger on fire aboard a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train earlier this week, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago.
Lawrence Reed, 50, faces charges of committing a terrorist attack against a mass transportation system. If convicted, he could receive a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Reed is scheduled for an initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally in federal court in Chicago.
According to the criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the incident occurred around 9:00 p.m. on November 17, 2025, as Reed and the victim were passengers on a CTA train traveling through downtown Chicago’s subway system. The complaint states that Reed approached the victim from behind, removed the cap from a bottle containing liquid, and poured it over her head and body. When the victim tried to escape, Reed caught up with her and ignited the bottle, which then fell onto the floor. He picked up the now-burning bottle and used it to set her on fire.
The victim was engulfed in flames but managed to leave the train. She remains hospitalized with critical injuries.
Investigators found that about 20 minutes before the attack, Reed had purchased gasoline at a local gas station and filled it into a hand-held container.
Reed was arrested by Chicago Police officers on November 18, 2025, and taken into federal custody today.
The charges were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The investigation received assistance from the Chicago Transit Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron R. Bond and Ronald L. DeWald are representing the government.
“This horrific attack was not just a barbaric assault on an innocent woman riding a train, but an act of terrorism that strikes at the core of our American way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will take immediate and resolute action to bring swift justice to the victim while safeguarding the public as well as the fabric of our society.”
Authorities remind that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt; Reed is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
