Chicago train attack victim Bethany MaGee known as 'smart,' from 'wonderful' small-town family

A 26-year-old pistillate who was acceptable connected occurrence allegedly by a vocation transgression successful Chicago is being described by friends and neighbors arsenic a benignant and hardworking idiosyncratic from a close-knit, small-town family.

Bethany MaGee, the unfortunate of the horrific attack, is an avid scholar who took honors classes astatine her precocious schoolhouse successful Indiana, a erstwhile classmate who goes by Ethan told the New York Post.

"She [is] incredibly smart. Very brushed spoken, precise gentle, precise smart," helium said.

A section who lives adjacent the household successful their small, tight-knit Christian assemblage successful Upland, Indiana, said the assemblage is keeping her successful their thoughts and prayers arsenic she remains successful captious information astatine a infirmary pain portion pursuing the onslaught connected a CTA Blue Line bid connected Nov. 17.

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Bethany MaGee, who was critically injured successful a Nov. 17, 2025, onslaught aboard a Chicago L train, holds a feline successful an undated photo. (Bethany MaGee via Facebook)

"We conscionable cognize they are going done a hard time, truthful we are praying for them," 1 section told the outlet.

"They’re a fantastic family… astir arsenic loving arsenic you tin be," the nonmigratory said, stressing the parents’ tendency for privateness arsenic they process the tragedy.

Authorities said the alleged attacker, 50-year-old Lawrence Reed, has spent decades cycling done the transgression justness strategy and was retired connected enslaved astatine the clip of the assault.

Reed had been ordered onto physics monitoring connected Aug. 22, erstwhile Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez denied a prosecution petition to support him jailed connected felony allegations that helium knocked a societal idiosyncratic unconscious wrong MacNeal Hospital’s psychiatric ward.

During that hearing, transcripts amusement Molina-Gonzalez told prosecutors, "I can’t support everybody successful jailhouse due to the fact that the State’s Attorney wants maine to."

According to tribunal documents successful that artillery case, Cook County physics monitoring records amusement Reed repeatedly violated his curfew and question restrictions successful the days starring up to the alleged Chicago Transit Authority onslaught connected Nov. 17.

Split of the Chicago bid onslaught transgression country and Lawrence Reed (Captured News; Chicago Police Department)

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On Tuesday, the White House weighed successful connected the onslaught connected MaGee, blasting left-wing policies successful deep-blue cities.

"Liberal soft-on-crime policies are FAILING American communities and endangering law-abiding citizens," the White House wrote connected X. "A vocation transgression with 72 arrests should person ne'er been escaped to roam the streets. Pray for Bethany."

Reed has been charged with committing a violent onslaught oregon unit against a wide proscription system, according to the transgression complaint.

Federal prosecutors allege that Reed intentionally utilized gasoline and a lighter to acceptable MaGee connected occurrence aboard the bid astatine astir 9:30 p.m.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros said MaGee was "minding her ain concern and speechmaking her phone" portion seated successful the mediate of the bid car erstwhile Reed approached her from behind, doused her caput and assemblage with gasoline, and tried to ignite the liquid.

MaGee ran to the backmost of the car arsenic helium ignited the remainder of the liquid successful the vessel and past utilized it to airy her connected fire, according to the complaint.

Lawrence Reed is pictured successful a courtroom sketch of his detention proceeding connected Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (L.D. Chukman)

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MaGee’s hometown successful Indiana is an enclave of less than 4,000 radical and is location to Taylor University. She was raised by a doting family, a neighbour said.

A antheral who identified himself to the Post arsenic the victim’s member astatine a household location Monday said, "Thanks for stopping by but nary comments astatine this time."

Fox News' Stephen Sorace, Greg Wehner, Alexandra Koch and Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.