Bethany MaGee identified as woman set on fire on Chicago train

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recognized the girl set on fireplace aboard a Chicago practice as 26-year-old Bethany MaGee, who suffered extreme burns within the assault.

Duffy slammed the town’s lax crime coverage and stated the assault, allegedly carried out by a profession prison with 72 earlier arrests, ought to by no means have occurred.

“It’s devastating {that a} profession prison with 72 PRIOR ARRESTS is now accused of attacking 26-year-old Bethany MaGee on Chicago’s L practice and setting her on fireplace,” Duffy stated on

“Chicago’s carelessness places the American folks in danger,” he continued. “Nobody ought to ever must worry for his or her life on the subway.”

CHICAGO WOMAN SET ON FIRE DURING ARGUMENT ON CTA TRAIN, POLICE SAY

Bethany MaGee, who was severely injured in an assault on Nov. 17, 2025, aboard a Chicago L practice, holds a cat in an undated photograph. (Bethany MaGee through Fb)

Authorities say the alleged attacker, 50-year-old Marcus Reed, has cycled by the prison justice system for many years and was out on bail on the time of the assault. Reed has been charged with committing a terrorist assault or violence in opposition to a mass transportation system, in line with the indictment.

Federal prosecutors allege Reed deliberately used gasoline and a lighter to set MaGee on fireplace aboard a CTA Blue Line practice Monday round 9:30 p.m.

U.S. Legal professional for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros stated the girl was “minding her personal enterprise and studying her telephone” whereas sitting in the course of the practice automotive when Reed approached her from behind, doused her head and physique with gasoline and tried to ignite the liquid.

The lady ran to the again of the automotive as he ignited the rest of the liquid within the bottle after which used it to set her on fireplace, the criticism stated.

CHICAGO TRAIN ATTACK SUSPECT ARRANGED BY JUDGE TO REMAIN PROTECTED FROM TRIAL

Lawrence Reed, 50, is charged with committing a terrorist assault or violence in opposition to a mass transportation system, in line with officers. (Chicago Police Division)

Video allegedly confirmed Reed watching the girl, engulfed in flames, as she tried to place out the hearth by rolling on the ground.

Boutros stated that as the girl rolled on the bottom and desperately tried to place out the hearth, nobody got here to her support.

When the practice stopped at Clark and Lake, the criticism famous that the sufferer, who was nonetheless on fireplace, managed to go away earlier than collapsing on the platform.

“When she lastly stumbled, two Samaritans got here and put out the hearth that utterly consumed her,” Boutros stated.

TRAIN FIRE ATTACK IN CHICAGO SHOWS WHY ‘DECARCERATION POLICY’ IS RISKING LIVES: EXPERT

Lawrence Reed is pictured in a courtroom sketch from his detention listening to on Friday, November 21, 2025. (L.D. Chukman)

She suffered extreme burns to her face and physique and is in crucial situation, in line with authorities.

Prosecutors obtained pictures exhibiting Reed at a fuel station about 20 minutes earlier than the assault, the place he entered the shop, paid the cashier and crammed a small container with gasoline.

Different footage confirmed Reed on the practice with a flaming bottle as he approached the sufferer.

Reed reportedly left the practice after setting the girl on fireplace and walked away.

PERSON OF INTEREST IN CHICAGO IN TRAIN FIRE ATTACK HAS 22 PRIOR ARRESTS, WAS RELEASED BY JUDGE: REPORT

Throughout Reed’s first look in federal court docket Wednesday, he allegedly shouted, “I plead responsible, I plead responsible, I plead responsible.”

U.S. Justice of the Peace Choose Laura McNally requested him if he knew the utmost sentence was life in jail, to which he replied, “It is cool, it is cool, it is cool.”

After the listening to, ATF Particular Agent in Cost Chris Amon commented on Reed’s violent prison historical past and present instances, including that he had “no enterprise being on the streets.”

“Reed has had sufficient second possibilities from the prison justice system, and consequently you’ve an harmless sufferer within the hospital preventing for her life,” Amon stated. “Due to the short motion of the CPD, ATF and our regulation enforcement companions, there can be no different alternatives for Mr. Reed.”

EXPECTED BLUE CITY WITH NUMEROUS PREVIOUS ARRESTS, FEDERALLY IMPOSED AFTER ACCUSED SETTING WOMAN ON FIRE ON TRAIN

McNally instructed a psychological and medical analysis, though Boutros famous that Reed had not been declared mentally incompetent on any of his earlier expenses.

Assistant U.S. Legal professional Aaron Bond stated Friday that Reed cycled by the prison justice system for 32 years, beginning round age 18. He has been arrested 72 occasions and has eight felony convictions and 7 misdemeanor convictions.

Information present Reed has a prolonged prison historical past, together with a misdemeanor arson cost from April 2020 after he allegedly began a hearth on the Thompson Heart, the place Gov. JB Pritzker was holding a day by day COVID-19 briefing.

He additionally confronted battery expenses for punching a number of ladies within the face, apparently at random, and punching a 42-year-old man within the face on the Halsted CTA Blue Line platform, FOX 32 Chicago reported.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In August, Reed was charged with aggravated battery after allegedly attacking a lady at a psychiatric hospital, CWB Chicago reported. Regardless of prosecutors’ requests to detain him, he was launched with an ankle monitor.

Alexandra Koch of Fox Information Digital and Related Press contributed to this report.