Charges filed against Rhanni S. Davis, suspect in CTA Blue Line shooting after four people were killed on a train in Forest Park, Illinois; three victims identified

FOREST PARK, Ill. (WLS) — A 30-year-old Chicago man has been charged after four people were shot while they slept on a CTA Blue Line train early Monday morning, police said Tuesday.

Rhanni S. Davis is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, Forest Park police said.

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Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins said the victims were sleeping when they were shot.

“Any loss of life is tragic, no matter the circumstances. You know they were special to someone,” Hoskins said. “This was an incredibly unfortunate act, a criminal act, a loss of life that we all mourn.”

The four adult victims were three men and one woman, police said. Three of the victims were found shot dead in one train carriage, one in another. Police said the victims were not robbed.

The Cook County Coroner's Office determined the identities of three victims on Tuesday.

Adrian Collins, 60, suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

28-year-old Simeon Bihesi was shot several times.

Margaret Miller, 64, suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

All three deaths are being ruled homicides. Forest Park police said they are still trying to contact the fourth victim's next of kin.

There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the shooting, including a possible motive.

At a press conference Tuesday evening, Cook County Attorney Kim Foxx said, “It's safe to say this was a random attack.”

“I fear the question of 'why' will never be answered,” Foxx said. “It's horrific. We want answers. Right now, we don't have an answer as to why someone would commit such a heinous, heinous act.”

Forest Park police said this was the first time they had contact with the suspect, but added that he has a previous conviction for weapons offenses in Chicago.

Foxx said further details would be announced at Davis' court appearance, which is scheduled for noon Wednesday.

CTA employees discovered the horrific sight around 5:30 a.m. Monday morning as the inbound train was approaching its final stop.

The mayor of Forest Park said it is believed the shooting took place closer to the Harlem Blue Line station.

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“These victims probably didn't see this coming,” Hoskins said. “They were executed on Labor Day. In our community, people go to the pool. They go to the park. You know, they have barbecues. But today, a lot of people called the mayor's office, expressing their concerns, asking if they were safe.”

Davis, who still had a gun on his person, was arrested 90 minutes later at the California CTA Pink Line station.

“The surveillance videos were key. And the cooperation with CTA security was absolutely critical to catching the perpetrator in this case,” said Daniel Pater, a lieutenant with the Forest Park Police.

Police said the suspect was wearing a mask at times and officers seized at least six bullets.

One commuter said he was nervous after the shocking act of violence.

“I don't feel too unsafe,” said commuter Ramis Wells. “I would say measures need to be taken, a little more safety measures need to be put in place.”

There was a clear security presence at the station on Tuesday morning.

“This is public transit,” said commuter Mike Ganter. “Someone will be there. There's no way to stop it or prevent it.”

“More security, really, really,” said commuter Javari Dockery. “We need more security. And more people on the train, because there's no one there, you're just there with other people and anything can happen.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to the violence on Tuesday morning.

“It's a tragedy,” Johnson said. “Guns in this country are out of control. People's access to guns is out of control, and that's very disgusting.”

It was not immediately clear whether the CTA's new ZeroEyes security system, a 24/7 surveillance system that can detect weapons at stations, was in use at the time of the incident at the Forest Park station.

“We need to address the larger question: Why is security not being adequately ensured?” said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

CTA officials said the technology is only installed at certain stations and not in the cars themselves, but declined to say which stations will use it.

“We want to work closely with the CTA and maybe they can get involved in some kind of safety improvements to hopefully make sure something like this doesn't happen again or in the foreseeable future,” Hoskins said.

For commuter Orlando Lee, that’s little consolation.

“People don't feel safe out here, I mean, just in the communities, period,” Lee said. “My point is, they need more patrols and they need to do something about vagrancy.”

Although authorities have not confirmed whether the victims were homeless or not, the head of the CTA was asked whether his agency had done enough to get homeless people into shelters.

“We are providing services to people on CTA that can, if they choose, give them options other than sleeping on CTA,” said CTA President Dorval Carter Jr.

According to advocacy groups, the number of homeless people on CTA trains is increasing

Some advocacy groups say much more is needed to prevent this violence.

Long before tragedy struck the CTA Blue Line, there was already another problem: the growing number of homeless people on the tracks.

“When the incident occurred over the weekend, it was a red flag,” said David Wywialowski, health director at Night Ministry.

Night Ministry, an advocacy group for the homeless, has been on the front lines for years, helping people specifically at the Forest Park subway station where CTA workers made the gruesome discovery.

“Homelessness on the street or on the train is a big risk. As we see, it is a big challenge for people without a home,” said Wywialowski.

State Rep. LaShawn Ford, who also represents Forest Park, says more needs to be done to address the root problem: substance abuse and mental illness among the homeless.

“We're standing on the heroin highway here, and the train is part of drug use and drug buying,” Ford said. “The West Side Heroin Task Force is constantly reporting the need for housing. They're constantly reporting the need for mental health and psychological support for people. And if we take that seriously, we could prevent incidents like this from happening.”

Luther Syas is director of public relations for the West Side Heroin Task Force

“We’re trying to get people off the streets to save lives,” Says said.

Ford went on to say that passing a currently stalled bill called the “11-15 waiver” could help leaders better address health-related needs.

The Chicago Coalition to end Homelessness issued a statement on the shooting, saying: “The Chicago Coalition to end Homelessness (CCH) is devastated to learn of the senseless murder of four people – Simeon Bihesi, Adrian Collins, and two other victims who have not yet been identified – on the CTA Blue Line on Monday, September 2. To our knowledge, most, if not all, were homeless and sleeping on the train at the time of their murder. The killer must be held accountable for the killing of their victims and held responsible for this heinous act. Our deepest condolences go out to the friends and families of the deceased.

Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure in our community, regardless of their housing situation. Many homeless people use public transit as a place of safety and community in the face of many poor alternatives. The fact that the killer took their lives in that place underscores how badly we have failed as a society.

These killings are not random acts of violence, but a glaring example of a pattern of violence, suffering and cruelty that homeless people face every day simply because they have no place to live. We cannot dismiss this moment as a tragic isolated incident, but must recognize that it is the direct result of the systemic failures that have led to over 68,000 people being homeless in Chicago alone.

The only real, sustainable solution is adequate funding for permanent housing and other services that homeless people need to feel truly safe and not only protected from violence, but also have a chance to thrive. Our city, county, state and federal government must do more – more funding and better policies that protect and support homeless people and get them all the permanent housing and services they deserve. No one should be in as much danger as these four victims.

Our society is constantly looking for excuses why it is not time to truly invest in solving the homeless problem. If not at a moment like this, then when?