Month: November 2025

Citywide

Chicago cops will soon file many gun charges without having to wait for a prosecutor’s approval

November 23, 2025 7:37 AM Tim Hecke
Chicago police officers will now be allowed to file certain felony gun possession charges directly without waiting for a prosecutor to approve the case, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office announced Friday. The move marks the citywide expansion of a program that began in CPD’s Englewood(7th) District, an initiative CWBChicago first reported on earlier this year.

CTA

Exclusive: Chief judge’s staff was repeatedly warned of CTA fire attacker’s electronic monitoring violations, records show

November 21, 2025 6:44 PM Tim Hecke
The man accused of setting a woman on fire aboard a Blue Line train this week repeatedly violated his electronic monitoring program by leaving his home without permission for extended periods, CWBChicago has learned. And, records show, when Lawrence Reed randomly poured gasoline on the 26-year-old woman and set her ablaze on Monday night, he had been out of his home without permission for more than 12 hours.

CTA

Prosecutor warned judge before release of man now accused in CTA fire attack: transcripts

November 20, 2025 7:46 PM Tim Hecke
A Cook County judge told a prosecutor “I can’t keep everybody in jail” before releasing the man now accused of setting a woman on fire aboard a Blue Line train, newly reviewed court records show. Despite warnings from prosecutors and a risk assessment that flagged him for likely violent reoffending, the judge placed Lawrence Reed on electronic monitoring and later expanded the hours he was allowed to roam. The CTA attack occurred at a time Reed was never authorized to be outside his home.