In a tragic turn of events that has once again cast a shadow over Chicago’s transit system, a 44-year-old man affectionately known by his family as “Ray Ray” was shot and killed early Tuesday morning on a train in the heart of the Loop. The violence, which broke out just before 1:30 a.m. in the 100 block of North Wells Street, didn’t just claim a life; it underscored a growing sense of fear among the everyday people who rely on the CTA to get to work and back home to their families.
The whole thing started as a verbal spat on a moving train. Ray Ray and a 23-year-old companion found themselves locked in an argument with another man who was reportedly armed with a knife. As the train rattled through the downtown tracks, the words turned into shoves, and the situation spiraled out of control. In the heat of the struggle, one of the victims pulled out a gun, but the suspect managed to wrestle it away. He didn’t hesitate, opening fire and striking both men before disappearing into the night as the train doors opened.
Ray Ray took a bullet to the abdomen and was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, but he didn’t make it. His younger companion was luckier, surviving a gunshot wound to the wrist and remains in fair condition. For those who knew Ray Ray, the loss is a heavy blow, leaving a void in a family now forced to navigate the holidays without him. Meanwhile, the shooter is still out there, and Chicago Police Area Three detectives are currently scouring surveillance footage to track him down.
The timing of this shooting couldn’t be worse for the city’s transit officials. Just last Friday, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) threw a wrench in the CTA’s latest safety strategy, rejecting their plan and calling it “materially deficient.” Federal officials are now threatening to withhold up to $50 million in funding unless the city gets aggressive about cutting down on the violence that has plagued the lines. The feds aren’t looking for minor tweaks; they want real results after a string of high-profile crimes, including a horrifying incident where a young woman was set on fire on a train last month.
Commuters woke up to major disruptions Tuesday, with service in the Loop halted for hours while investigators processed the blood-stained crime scene. While trains started moving again around 5:30 a.m., the sense of normalcy hasn’t quite returned. For many, the “L” is no longer just a ride—it’s a gamble.
In the wake of the gunfire, groups like the Violence Interrupters are stepping up where they feel the city is falling short. Tio Hardiman, the organization’s spokesperson, sent 25 outreach workers onto the Red Line Tuesday to try and keep the peace. He pointed out the heartbreaking reality for many riders: “You have everyday people here that board the trains to go to work, and then someone hits them in the head and now they’re in the hospital. They lose their money, they can’t pay rent. We’re tired of it.”
The CTA’s rejected plan had actually included a surge of 120 police officers and nearly 200 private security guards, but federal administrators say it’s still not enough to protect the two workers who, on average, are assaulted every single week. As the city grapples with the fallout, the pressure is on Mayor Brandon Johnson and transit leadership to find a way to stop the bleeding—both literally and figuratively.
As the sun rose over the Chicago skyline, the 100 block of North Wells returned to its usual bustle, but the yellow police tape served as a grim reminder. A man who was just trying to get from point A to point B never made it home, leaving a grieving family and a city demanding answers on how to make its most vital lifeline safe again.
