A 30-year-old man is set to appear in bond court in suburban Maywood on Wednesday, facing charges of killing four individuals as they slept on a Chicago-area transit train during a Labor Day shooting. The incident occurred before 5:30 a.m. on a moving train near the Blue Line’s terminus in Forest Park, approximately 10 miles west of downtown Chicago. Rhanni S. Davis, a resident of Chicago, was apprehended on another Chicago Transit Authority train line on Monday and subsequently charged on Tuesday with four counts of first-degree murder.
Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the crime. Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx expressed during a press conference that the question of why may remain unanswered, labeling the shootings as a “horrific, heinous, and inexplicable act of violence.” Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins mentioned to The Associated Press that the victims were likely unaware of the shooter’s presence, as they were shot at close range while asleep.
The victims of the tragic incident were identified as Margaret Miller, 64, and three men including Simeon Bihesi, 28, and Adrian Collins, 60. The addresses of all victims were listed as unknown. The fourth victim’s identity has not been disclosed as authorities were in the process of informing their relatives. A preliminary investigation by the police revealed that the victims were aboard two separate cars on the Blue Line train heading towards Forest Park, a route that traverses from the suburb through downtown Chicago to O’Hare International Airport.
Law enforcement located Davis using video footage, Forest Park Mayor Hoskins confirmed. CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. characterized the incident as a very random and isolated act of violence. Despite efforts to reach out, public records did not provide a listed phone number for Davis, and attempts to contact a listed email address were unsuccessful. Forest Park police, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Cook County public defender’s office did not respond to inquiries regarding Davis’ legal representation. Davis was scheduled for a court appearance at noon in suburban Maywood.
