Motive of accused CTA shooter unclear, Kim Foxx says: 'We don't have answers'

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Cook County officials provided an update to the public on Tuesday about their investigation into a shooting on a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Blue Line train that left four people dead.

Rhanni Davis, a 30-year-old man from Chicago, has been charged with four counts of first degree murder in what Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx described as an “inexplicable” act. Foxx said they believe the shooting was a random act, but she added that the shooter’s motivation was unclear.

“Sometimes we want to have an explanation for the truly horrific … we want answers,” she said. “Right now, we don’t have answers as to why anyone would commit such a heinous, heinous act.”

Police said they received a call shortly before 5:30 a.m. about a shooting that took place inside a CTA Blue Line train as it rolled toward Forest Park Station, located at the end of the line. Three of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene. A fourth was transported to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where they were pronounced dead.

The four victims were believed to have been sleeping on the train before the shooting.

Three of the four shooting victims were identified on Tuesday. They are: Simeon Bihesi, 28; Adrian Collins, 60; and Margaret Miller, 64. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office told WBBM Newsradio that they were still waiting to notify the fourth person's next of kin.

CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. spoke Tuesday night as well, reassuring CTA rider that the transit agency is doing everything they can to curb violence on their transit system.

"To our riders, we want you to know that we hear you, and we understand your concerns about safety," Carter said. "The men and women of CTA are united in our commitment to make sure we're doing everything in our power to protect you, our riders, as well as our employees."

Although the shooter fled the scene of the crime, Forest Park police said they were able to work with CTA security to locate the offender using video surveillance. The Chicago Police Department later identified Davis, who was a CTA Pink Line train, as a match to the shooter’s description on a CTA Pink Line train, and he was taken into custody.

A gun was recovered in the arrest, officials said. Daniel Payter, with the Forest Park Police Department, said the gun recovered from Davis’ arrest was a ballistics match for the gun used in the shooting.

Davis is scheduled to appear at the Maywood Courthouse Wednesday at noon. At that point, Foxx said more information would be released to the public.

“No place or time should be off-limits because of crime,” Foxx said.

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