'Horrific and appalling': Judge denies pretrial release of CTA Blue Line shooting suspect

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A Cook County judge ordered a Chicago resident to stay behind bars as he waits for his next court hearing on charges for allegedly shooting and killing four people as they slept on a CTA Blue Line train heading into Forest Park.

The suspect made his first appearance in court Wednesday afternoon in district court in Maywood.

Rahnni Davis appeared in handcuffs before the judge as the charges were read, the judge Elizabeth Ciaccia-Lezza called the charges “horrific and appalling.” She said the suspect poses a “real and present threat” and denied pretrial release.

Davis has been charged with four counts for first degree murder.

Eugene Wood with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, described what was captured on surveillance video.

“At around 5 a.m. CTA surveillance video captured the defendant in a Blue Line car. He was wearing the same clothing as before, but now he had on a mask over his face,” Wood said.

“There were three sleeping passengers on board the car with the defendant. He walked up to the last row of seating next to the unoccupied conductor's booth and he shot the unnamed 52-year old victim twice.”

Wood also shared how video captured the four people being shot, three of whom were shot execution style.

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.

Video released from police shows the suspect exiting the Blue Line train at the Harlem stop. Police say the video also shows a witness fleeing, jumping from the train before it stops.

“Illinois State Police crime lab compared the recovered shell casings from the scene to the gun recovered from the defendant's person. That analysis showed that the shell casings were fired from the weapon recovered from the defendant,” Wood said.

“In addition, his hands tested positive for the presence of gunshot residue.”

Davis did not show any emotion in the courtroom as the charges were read. The courtroom was packed with mainly sheriff's deputies and media.

He is due back in court at the end of the month.

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