A Chicago man is facing attempted murder charges, accused of pushing another person onto Chicago Transit Authority tracks in the suburbs as a train was approaching.
Tommie O. Carter, 39 was at the platform for the Harlem Avenue Blue Line CTA train in Forest Park, Illinois, about 10 miles west of Chicago on Monday when, the Forest Park Police Department alleges, he punched an older man before purportedly pushing him onto the elevated train’s tracks.
The victim, whom police did not name, nearly struck the electrified “third rail.” A train was approaching the platform but stopped after the conductor spotted the victim on the tracks, police said.
The victim was treated by first responders and taken to a hospital for his injuries, which included fractures to both of his knees, according to WGN-TV.
In court documents, Cook County prosecutors said that cameras showed Mr. Carter repeatedly asking the 59-year-old victim, who has an intellectual disability, for money prior to the attack, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
When police arrived at around 8:34 a.m., Mr. Carter resisted, fighting officers who tried to handcuff him.
After finally being wrangled and taken into custody, Mr. Carter spat on one of the officers, police said.
Mr. Carter is being held in custody on one count of attempted murder and three counts of aggravated battery of a police officer.
In court, Mr. Carter disputed law enforcement’s account of the incident, saying that the unnamed victim punched him first, according to WLS-TV.
Carter has an extensive prior criminal record.
Monday’s incident occurred while Carter was out on pretrial release on charges of criminal damage to government-supported property, criminal trespass, and assault, related to purported trespassing at the Citadel Center skyscraper in Chicago in October, according to WGN-TV.
Carter’s prior convictions include a two-year jail sentence for unlawful use of a weapon in 2023, a year-long sentence for retail theft in 2021 and prior armed robbery offenses, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
He has seven felony convictions on his record in total.
