Lawrence Reed is the man who has been charged with a federal terrorism offense after allegedly dousing a young woman with gasoline and setting her on fire on a Blue Line train in downtown Chicago. The attack, described in a press release by the U. S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew S. Boutros as “barbaric” and an “act of terrorism,” left the 26-year-old victim hospitalized in critical condition. Reed, 50, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. Why It Matters The attack has drawn intense local and national attention to issues of public safety and criminal justice reform. It comes after Trump in September called Chicago “the most dangerous city in the world” and sent 200 National Guard troops to the city the next month. The administration said the deployment was needed to support domestic immigration enforcement personnel, restore order in the face of protests and reduce crime. But deployment faced legal challenges and opposition from city and Illinois Democratic leadership, and the troops have not partaken in law enforcement operations in the city. What To Know The U. S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago’s federal complaint alleges that Reed boarded a Blue Line train near Chicago’s Clark/Lake station just before 9 p. m. on Monday. The complaint describes train car surveillance footage showing Reed approaching the victim from behind, removing the cap from a plastic bottle filled with gasoline and pouring it over her head and body. When the woman tried to fight Reed off and escape him, he chased her and ignited the bottle of gasoline in his hand that contained the remaining liquid and dropped it on the floor by this point, the woman was at the rear end of the car. Reed picked up the bottle and approached the victim again, setting her on fire with the bottle. He then “ran to the front of the train car and stood watching Victim A as her body was engulfed in flames.” The woman tried to extinguish the flames by rolling on the ground, before she was able to exit the train when it stopped at Clark and Lake Street. She collapsed on the platform, where people rushed to help her, while Reed exited the train and walked away from the scene, the complaint says. Reed was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in court on Wednesday local newspapers reported that he was disruptive, shouting over the judge, insisting he wanted to represent himself and claiming he was a Chinese citizen. At one point, Reed repeatedly yelled, “I plead guilty!” as the judge attempted to advise him of his rights. Lawrence Reed’s Criminal Record Reed has a criminal history dating back to at least 2017, according to the Chicago Police Department’s arrest data reviewed by Newsweek. “Lawrence Reed has no business being on the streets given his violent criminal history and his pending criminal cases,” Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday. “Reed has plenty of second chances by the criminal justice system and, as a result, you have an innocent victim in the hospital fighting for her life.” “There will be no other chances for Mr. Reed,” he added. When a reporter asked whether Boutros was “concerned” that Reed’s “evident mental state could make it hard to have a terrorism charge stick,” he answered: “We have a court system that deals with mental health and mental health competence, so we know that this will go through that normal channel and he’ll be able to avail himself of that entire sort of process.” “I’m not aware of him ever being declared mentally incompetent in connection with any of the other extensive criminal history,” he added. A Timeline of Lawrence Reed’s Criminal Record • May 2017: Driving while revoked/suspended (2nd offense). • April 2018: Soliciting unlawful business. • June 2018: Criminal trespass to real property. • July 2018: Battery make physical contact. • April 2019: Driving on a revoked license. • December 2019: Criminal damage to property under $500. • February 2020: Battery -make physical contact; aggravated battery in a public place. • April 2020: Aggravated arson / arson knowing a person was present. • December 2021: Assault simple; battery cause bodily harm. • June 2022: Battery make physical contact. • January 2024: Criminal damage to property under $500. This is based on records from the Chicago Police Department Newsweek corroborated the name “Lawrence Reed” with the ages filed at the time, in line with Reed being 50 years old in 2025, as well as consistent mugshots. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump’s Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy wrote in a post on X: “This horrific attack is EXACTLY why we need communities to take safety seriously. Blue cities cannot allow another Iryna Zarutska to happen.” What Happens Next Lawrence Reed is currently in federal custody. He faces a charge of terrorism against a mass transportation system, which carries a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. A detention hearing is set for Friday, where further details about Reed’s criminal record and mental health evaluations are expected. The attack has prompted federal and local officials to review transit security and policies around pretrial release and mental health interventions. It is important to note that criminal complaints are not evidence of guilt and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may follow based on the victim’s medical condition and further developments.
https://www.newsweek.com/lawrence-reed-chicago-man-accused-setting-woman-on-fire-11079202