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. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Reed is scheduled for an initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally.
According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the incident occurred around 9:00 p.m. on November 17, 2025, while both Reed and the victim were riding a CTA subway train in downtown Chicago. The complaint alleges that Reed approached the victim from behind, removed the cap from a bottle containing liquid, and poured it over her head and body. As the victim tried to escape, Reed reportedly ignited the bottle and dropped it on the floor before picking it up again and using it to set the victim on fire.
The victim suffered critical injuries but was able to leave the train and remains hospitalized.
Investigators say that about 20 minutes before the incident, Reed purchased gasoline at a gas station in Chicago and filled it into a hand-held container.
Reed was arrested by Chicago Police officers on November 18, 2025, and was 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. Assistance came 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 reminded members of the public that criminal complaints are not evidence of guilt; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
