A convicted felon with a history of robbery convictions is now accused of mugging an international college student at the North-Clybourn Red Line station, a crime that left the victim considering a move back to India. Chicago police arrested 28-year-old Aaron Hughes after recognizing him at the Monroe Red Line station, according to CPD.
The attack occurred early on January 25, as Shubham Patil, a 23-year-old Roosevelt University student, was riding a southbound train from the Fullerton station. Patil told NBC Chicago he was speaking with his grandmother on the phone in his native language when a stranger approached him.
“He comes from first car to second car, and he is standing beside me,” Patil said in the interview. “He is targeting me I believe because I’m just talking with my grandma on the phone in my own language. Then, he just starts punching me over and over with his legs and knees.”
Police said Hughes yelled profanities at Patil before punching the student repeatedly in the face and taking his valuables.
When the train arrived at North-Clybourn, Patil followed the robber onto the platform. But Hughes allegedly struck Patil in the face again and took additional belongings before fleeing on foot. Patil suffered minor injuries.
According to Patil, he pressed the emergency help button and screamed for assistance during the attack, but the train operator only instructed him to move to another car.
“I’m just screaming like I’m mad, ‘help me, help me.’ But nobody tried to help me,” Patil said.
CPD issued a “seeking to identify” bulletin last week, asking the community to help identify the robber, but Hughes met his fate by chance when he crossed paths with a Public Transportation Unit tactical team that recognized him while on patrol in the Loop, police said. He has prior convictions for robbery and armed robbery, according to a CPD media statement.
Hughes was unable to appear in court for his first appearance on Sunday and will remain in the sheriff’s custody until he can appear in person for a detention hearing, as required by state law.
The traumatic incident left Patil reconsidering his education in Chicago.
“I’m thinking about dropping out for this semester and going back to my country because I do not feel safe here,” Patil told NBC last week. “I forgive him, but please don’t do this to another international student or anyone else.”
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