Duffy identifies Chicago train victim as 26-year-old Bethany MaGee while blasting city's 'carelessness'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy identified the pistillate acceptable connected occurrence aboard a Chicago bid arsenic 26-year-old Bethany MaGee, who suffered terrible burns successful the attack.

Duffy blasted the city’s lax transgression policies, saying the attack, allegedly carried retired by a vocation transgression with 72 anterior arrests, ne'er should person happened.

"It is devastating that a vocation transgression with 72 PRIOR ARRESTS is present accused of attacking 26-year-old Bethany MaGee connected Chicago’s L bid and mounting her connected fire," Duffy said connected X. "This would ne'er person happened if this thug had been down bars. Yet Chicago lets repetition offenders roam the streets.

"Chicago’s carelessness is putting the American radical astatine risk," helium continued. "No 1 should ever person to fearfulness for their lives connected the subway."

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

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)

Authorities said the alleged attacker, 50-year-old Marcus Reed, has spent decades cycling done the transgression justness strategy and was retired connected enslaved astatine the clip of the assault. 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 a CTA Blue Line bid astatine astir 9:30 p.m. Monday.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros said the pistillate 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.

The pistillate 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.

CHICAGO TRAIN ATTACK SUSPECT ORDERED BY JUDGE TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY AHEAD OF TRIAL

Lawrence Reed, 50, is charged with committing a violent onslaught oregon unit against a wide proscription system, according to officials. (Chicago Police Department)

Video allegedly showed Reed watching the woman, engulfed successful flames, arsenic she tried to enactment retired the occurrence by rolling connected the floor.

Boutros said arsenic the pistillate was rolling connected the ground, desperately trying to enactment retired the fire, nary 1 came to her aid.

When the bid stopped astatine Clark and Lake, the ailment noted the victim, who was inactive connected fire, managed to exit earlier collapsing connected the platform.

"When she yet stumbled down, 2 Samaritans came and enactment retired the blaze that was each consuming her," Boutros said.

CHICAGO TRAIN FIRE ATTACK SHOWS WHY ‘DECARCERATION’ POLICIES ARE PUTTING LIVES AT RISK: EXPERT

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

She suffered terrible burns to her look and assemblage and remains successful captious condition, according to authorities.

Prosecutors obtained photos showing Reed astatine a state presumption astir 20 minutes earlier the attack, wherever helium was seen entering the store, paying the cashier and filling a tiny instrumentality with gasoline.

Other images showed Reed wrong the bid holding a flaming vessel arsenic helium approached the victim.

Reed allegedly exited the bid aft mounting the pistillate connected occurrence and walked away.

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

During Reed’s archetypal quality successful national tribunal Wednesday, helium allegedly shouted, "I plead guilty, I plead guilty, I plead guilty."

U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura McNally asked him if helium knew the maximum condemnation was beingness successful prison, to which helium responded, "It’s cool, it’s cool, it’s cool."

Following the hearing, ATF Special Agent successful Charge Chris Amon commented connected Reed’s convulsive transgression past and pending cases, adding helium "had nary concern being connected the streets."

"Reed had plentifulness of 2nd chances from the transgression justness system, and arsenic a result, you person an guiltless unfortunate successful the infirmary warring for her life," Amon said. "Because of the swift enactment of CPD, ATF and our instrumentality enforcement partners, determination volition beryllium nary different chances for Mr. Reed."

BLUE CITY SUSPECT WITH NUMEROUS PRIOR ARRESTS FEDERALLY CHARGED AFTER ALLEGEDLY SETTING WOMAN ABLAZE ON TRAIN

McNally suggested a intelligence and aesculapian evaluation, though Boutros noted Reed had not been declared mentally incompetent successful transportation with immoderate of his anterior charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Bond said Friday that Reed has spent 32 years cycling done the transgression justness system, opening astir property 18. He’s been arrested 72 times and has 8 felony and 7 misdemeanor convictions.

Records amusement Reed has a lengthy transgression history, including a complaint of felony aggravated arson from April 2020, aft helium allegedly started a occurrence astatine the Thompson Center, wherever Gov. J.B. Pritzker was holding a regular COVID-19 briefing.

He besides faced misdemeanor artillery charges for punching aggregate women successful the face, seemingly astatine random, and slapping a 42-year-old antheral successful the look astatine the Halsted CTA Blue Line platform, FOX 32 Chicago reported.

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In August, Reed was charged with aggravated artillery aft allegedly assaulting a pistillate astatine a psychiatric hospital, CWB Chicago reported. Despite prosecutors’ petition to support him detained, helium was released with an ankle monitor.

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch and the Associated Press contributed to this report.