Bystanders beat man and hurled him onto Blue Line tracks after he pushed woman from platform, police say
A Woman Pushed onto CTA Tracks Leads to Chaotic Scene at Cicero Blue Line Station
A disturbing incident unfolded at the Cicero Blue Line station when a man allegedly attacked a woman, ultimately leading to a chaotic scene where bystanders took matters into their own hands before police arrived, court records and a Chicago police report reveal.
The suspect, identified as 44-year-old Robert Rhodes-Chambers, reportedly assaulted a 43-year-old woman on the platform late at night on May 10. He allegedly struck her in the back of the neck and shoulder before forcefully pushing her onto the tracks.
According to a CPD report, the assault was captured on CTA security cameras, and the victim sustained injuries to her knee, ankle, shoulder, and head as a result of the attack.
However, before law enforcement could reach the scene, two witnesses took matters into their own hands. The report states that these individuals turned on Rhodes-Chambers, physically assaulting him and throwing him onto the tracks, where the beating reportedly continued. Subsequently, officers called for an ambulance to transport Rhodes-Chambers to Mt. Sinai Hospital for medical treatment.
As firefighters wheeled the suspect out of the station on a stretcher, the victim positively identified Rhodes-Chambers as her assailant, leading to his arrest on charges of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery of a transit passenger. Judge Peter Gonzalez ordered him detained pending trial.
Court records indicate that Rhodes-Chambers had recently received 12 months of conditional discharge for violating an order of protection on March 6.
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