A CTA bus operator’s kidnapping by an armed passenger is raising questions about safety for transit agency employees.
The moments inside a CTA bus, when a gunman ordered the operator to blow through stoplights, prompted members of Violence Interrupters, a violence-reduction initiative, to say “no more.”
“Imagine the trauma that a person has to deal with when they’ve been assaulted while going to work,” Violence Interrupters President Tio Hardiman said. “It’s unacceptable.”
During a bus ride on Tuesday night, a passenger, since identified as Quentin Lewis, pulled a gun on the driver. Police said Lewis, a convicted felon, demanded that the operator keep driving. She did, out of fear, until she was able to escape by jumping out of a window.
“Imagine what she’s dealing with, she’s a 35-year-old young lady,” Hardiman said. “A guy was waving his gun at her on the bus. She might be having nightmares every night now.”
The nonprofit focuses on education, with members riding the CTA themselves in an effort to help prevent problems before they escalate.
The kidnapping is the latest in a series of violent incidents involving CTA workers.
In October, a CTA janitor was stabbed to death at the Damen Green Line station.
Earlier in the spring, police said another CTA driver was threatened by a passenger, this time with a knife.
Violence Interrupters is calling for a broader partnership to help keep CTA workers and riders safe.
“When you go on the bus, pay your fare, you should feel protected every step of the way,” Hardiman said.
On Sunday night, the CTA shared a statement previously sent to NBC Chicago about the driver who was held hostage, saying the agency is supporting the police investigation.
The CTA also highlighted a pilot program that deploys “safe ride specialists” on the Red, Blue and Green lines to help stop disruptive behavior before it escalates.
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