CTA knife attacker struck again yesterday — just hours before cops issued bulletin about him

Just hours before police yesterday released surveillance images of a man who allegedly stabbed and robbed a CTA passenger in the Loop this week, the offender again brandished a knife and threatened a train passenger downtown, according to multiple police sources.

The CTA surveillance images released by CPD’s Mass Transit Unit show a man brandishing a large knife as he allegedly robs a passenger on the Purple Line near Adams-Wabash around 7:18 p.m. Monday. The offender is wearing a yellow jacket over a gray sweatshirt with thick drawstrings around the hood and a white cap.

Now, CWBChicago has learned, a man who matches that description perfectly assaulted another passenger with a knife on the Brown Line at Washington-Wells yesterday morning.

According to a CPD spokesperson, a 51-year-old man was riding the “L” around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday when another man and a woman began arguing on his train car. The male suspect turned and walked toward the passenger while displaying a large knife and told him to stay seated and not do anything stupid, the spokesperson said.

The offender got off at Washington and Wells. A witness called police after seeing the man change clothes in a building on the 400 block of West Madison around 11 a.m. There, cops found the suspect’s jacket, a knife, and a phone case, according to the CPD spokesperson.

Surveillance footage shows the man then entered Union Station wearing a gray hoodie with thick drawstrings, blue jeans, a white skull cap, and black gym shoes. Police said the offender is 30- to 40-years-old, 5’7” to 5’9” tall, and 150 to 160 pounds.

During Monday’s attack, the offender stabbed a passenger, took the victim’s phone, and ordered him to surrender his lock screen password, according to a CPD bulletin.

Anyone with information about the attacker can contact Mass Transit Detective Ray Verta at 312-745-4443 or 773-664-4880. The officer can also be contacted at Raymond.verta@chicagopolice.org. The case number is JE-211014.

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CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com