A Chicago man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly punching a senior citizen and knocking him onto the tracks at a CTA Blue Line station in west suburban Forest Park.
The Attack and Rescue
On Monday, around 8:30 a.m., Forest Park police responded to a call of a battery at the Harlem Avenue Blue Line stop.
Officers arrived to find a senior citizen lying on the electrified tracks. Fortunately, the victim was spotted by a Blue Line train operator, who was able to stop the train just moments before impact.
Police confirmed the victim also narrowly avoided touching the dangerous third rail that powers the trains.
The victim was immediately taken to Loyola University Medical Center for treatment.
Suspect Arrested
A short time after the attack, police located a man matching the suspect’s description on the platform and attempted to arrest him.
Following a brief struggle, 39-year-old Tommie O. Carter of Chicago was taken into custody. Police stated that Carter spat on an officer while resisting arrest.
After reviewing surveillance video and questioning witnesses, Carter was officially charged with:
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One felony count of Attempted Murder.
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Three felony counts of Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer.
Carter was scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on Wednesday at the Maywood courthouse.
Court records reveal a long criminal history for Carter, including dozens of arrests dating back to 2001 and a 2023 conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
