Woman Shot Man on Red Line Train after Comment he Made about her Walking too Slowly, Prosecutors Say

Shooting Prompted by Offhand Comment

Cook County prosecutors said in court Friday that a shooting on a CTA Red Line train earlier this week was prompted by little more than an offhand comment. Indya Smith, 23, faces attempted murder and other charges for allegedly shooting a 33-year-old man Wednesday morning during a confrontation on a northbound train between the Bryn Mawr and Thorndale stations.

Comments on Boarding the Train

According to prosecutors, Smith claimed that the man she shot had made a comment about wanting to trip her because she was walking too slowly when they were both boarding the train at the Wilson Station. The comment apparently bothered Smith, who became angry and upset.

Confrontation on the Train

On the train, Smith relocated to another car where she said she thought about the man’s comment and then returned to his train car, prosecutors said. Smith then allegedly spat in the man’s face and was walking away when he moved toward her.

Shot and Wounded

Prosecutors said Smith told police that she reached into her bag for a water bottle but instead withdrew a gun that she said she found days earlier in an alley. She was aiming at the man’s face when she pulled the trigger, but the bullet hit him in his shoulder, passed through his backpack and then smashed a window on the CTA train.

Panic and Chaos

Other passengers fled and were not identified. The man wrestled Smith for the gun, eventually taking possession of it and holding her on the floor of the train until police officers arrived. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment in fair condition. The entire incident was captured by CTA surveillance cameras.

Court Proceedings

Smith did not have a license to possess a gun, which still would not have allowed her to possess the gun on a CTA train, prosecutors argued in their petition to hold her in custody pending trial. She additionally faces counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon.

Assistant Public Defender Scott Fenner said Smith had never been arrested before and argued she was defending herself. However, Judge Susana Ortiz ordered Smith held in custody pending trial, calling her alleged actions “extremely unreasonable.” Ortiz further banned Smith from the CTA while the case is pending if she should be released later.

Conclusion

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of confrontations and the importance of de-escalation techniques. The outcome could have been much worse, and it is fortunate that no one was seriously injured.

FAQs

* What triggered the shooting on the CTA Red Line train?
The shooting was allegedly triggered by an offhand comment made by the 33-year-old man about Indya Smith walking too slowly.
* What did Smith do after the man made the comment?
Smith became angry and upset, relocated to another car, and then returned to the man’s train car where she spat in his face and pulled out a gun.
* What was the outcome of the confrontation?
The man was shot in the shoulder and the bullet passed through his backpack and smashed a window on the CTA train. The man wrestled Smith for the gun, eventually taking possession of it and holding her on the floor of the train until police officers arrived.
* What charges does Smith face?
Smith faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon.