CHICAGO — A murder suspect who had just arrived on the California Zephyr was shot and killed at Chicago Union Station on Tuesday evening after opening fire on Amtrak police on a station platform.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports Amtrak police were waiting on the platform when the train arrived, having been informed by California authorities that a California man on board was wanted on multiple outstanding warrants, including one for murder.
Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari told a press conference that when the man saw the police on the platform, he began running, injuring an Amtrak employee, and then opened fire on the police. Police returned fire, with one shooting the suspect. He was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and later died from a gunshot wound to the chest, police reported. WGN-TV reports the Cook County Coroner’s Office confirmed the death but has not released the man’s name pending notification of next of kin.
Three other people, including the Amtrak employee and one of the police officers, also were injured, but were not shot, authorities said. One was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was in good condition with facial lacerations. Two others were taken to Rush University Medical Center; the nature of their injuries was not reported.
An investigation by Amtrak police and Chicago police is continuing. Amtrak police involved in the incident were wearing body cameras.
The incident occurred about 5:15 p.m., after the Zephyr arrived shortly after 5 p.m. Amtrak service in and out of Union Station was stopped for about an hour but resumed about 6:30 p.m.
It’s not uncommon in Chicago for police to be on the platform. The suspect may have become spooked when he saw them. Nothing in the story suggest they were looking for him. If Amtrak police were waiting the conductor would have been notified and provided a description and photo of the suspect. Then the crew would make an attempt to find where the suspect is at on the train.
Mr. Shoemaker: Read the second paragraph. Of course they were looking for him.
Without minimizing the seriousness of the situation, it does give added meaning to the admonition “Watch your step while detraining.”
Maybe they should have used some plain clothes officers for the arrest with uniformed police for backup.
I wonder if the suspect was attempting to change trains after arrival in Chicago on ‘The California Zephyr’. This is like a scene from a TV or motion picture drama. The 1987 film, “The Untouchable”, had a scene at Chicago Union Station where federal agents pursued crime boss Al Capone during Prohibition.
I thought the same thing. Right out of a movie. Glad nobody but the bad guy was hurt.