April 27, 2026 Chicago Tonight - Full Episode

0:20 Hello and thanks for joining us on this W T Tw News special.

0:22 I'm Nick Blumberg.

0:23 Brandis Friedman is on assignment tonight.

0:27 Our focus is safety on public transit.

0:30 Specifically what's behind crime on the CTA

0:33 and some of the efforts to address it.

0:35 that in just a moment.

0:38 But first off tonight,

0:38 police have charged a 26 year-old man in the killing of Officer John

0:41 Bartholomew and critically wounding his partner

0:44 in a hospital shooting over the weekend.

0:46 Alphonso tally is now facing 20 felony charges,

0:49 including first-degree murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and more.

0:53 Today, officers of the 17th district hung purple ribbon outside the building

0:58 in memory of Bartholomew who had 10 years on the police force.

1:02 The incident happened Saturday at Endeavor Health

1:04 Swedish Hospital in the Lincoln Square community

1:06 Talley was brought to the hospital by police

1:08 officers to receive treatment while in custody.

1:11 It's not clear how he was able to get

1:13 gun and opened fire before fleeing the hospital.

1:17 The other victim is a 57 year-old officer with 21 years of service.

1:20 Police say he is still in a condition.

1:24 Talley's court appearance today was continued until Thursday.

1:28 A federal appeals court says former House Speaker Michael Madigan

1:31 will remain in prison to serve the rest of his sentence.

1:34 Megan had appealed to the 7th circuit arguing his prosecution had, quote,

1:39 push the federal bribery law over the boundaries set by the Supreme Court.

1:43 He was sentenced to 7 and a half

1:45 years last summer after his convictions on bribery,

1:47 conspiracy and wire fraud charges.

1:50 The court's ruling comes days after it order else for 2 former comment officials

1:56 were convicted of conspiring to bribe Madigan

1:58 to earn his backing on critical energy legislation.

2:00 The city's new watchdog could be the man hired

2:04 to clean up ComEd in the wake of scandal.

2:07 Mayor Brandon Johnson has tapped David blocking or to replace Deborah with gas.

2:11 The new inspector general which Bird left office Friday.

2:14 Lochner is a former federal prosecutor who spent nearly 25 years at the U.S.

2:18 Attorney's Office of the Northern District.

2:21 And he worked for comment, parent company, AEG Salon from 2020 to 2025.

2:26 Overseeing the company's efforts to comply with the Deferred

2:29 prosecution agreement resulting from that scandal that sent

2:32 former House Speaker Michael Madigan to federal prison

2:34 doctor still needs to be confirmed by City Council.

2:37 The Trump administration says its immigration enforcement

2:41 operation in Illinois known as Midway Blitz was

2:44 named in honor of the 20 year-old

2:45 college student killed by an undocumented drunk driver.

2:49 But today her mother tells an Illinois commission

2:51 that her daughter would have hated the association.

2:55 Having my daughter's legacy.

2:56 Associated with this violent government

3:01 operation and their political agenda instead

3:03 of the light and positivity that she contributed to this world is inexcusable.

3:08 And she would have wanted nothing to do with it.

3:13 Midway believe the nice Lawrence testified as part

3:16 of a two-day hearing for the Illinois Accountability Commission,

3:19 which also included extensive and graphic video showing numerous violent arrests

3:23 and detentions carried out by federal agents during the operation last fall.

3:27 Governor JB Pritzker created the commission back in October to make a quote,

3:30 public record of abuses.

3:33 The group has spent the last several months collecting evidence and witness

3:37 testimony and is set to issue its final report later this week.

3:44 Local groups say as many as 150,000 Illinois could stand to lose

3:46 their snap benefits this week under new eligibility rules and cuts made

3:50 in last year's one big beautiful bill and the Greater Chicago Food

3:53 Depository notes that those cuts will only impact recipients of food benefits,

3:58 but also the grocery stores where they spent those benefits.

4:02 Being able to have people at the register

4:04 working and having unemployment here living fresh.

4:08 And the role that puts back a 3rd of our revenues weekly daily.

4:15 That means like she mentioned, cutbacks on employees.

4:18 That means making sure that, you know,

4:22 we have concerns about making sure that we pay our suppliers.

4:25 On time.

4:27 Melodie Winston says her store living fresh market in Forest

4:30 Park is the largest black owned grocery store in the country.

4:35 She says losing revenue from Snap sails means many small retailers may be

4:39 faced with having to raise prices cut staff or even close their doors.

4:42 The food depository says they fear another 100,000 people

4:45 could also lose their benefits over the next year.

4:48 The new SNAP work requirements take effect May 1st.

4:52 Up next, the prevalence of crime on public

4:54 transit and what's being done about it?

4:59 That's right.

4:58 After this.

5:01 W T Tw news coverage of policing

5:02 and police reform is supported by the Joyce Foundation.

5:36 Violent crime on the Chicago Transit Authority's

5:37 trains and buses is up from last year.

5:41 That's despite efforts from the Chicago Police Department and the CTA

5:43 to curb violence to private security and increased police presence.

5:48 Now, community organizations,

5:49 local leaders and institutions like the state's attorney's

5:52 office are weighing additional ways to keep riders safe.

5:55 All while the Trump administration threatens to cut

5:58 federal funding to the city's transit system.

6:00 Joining us to discuss the issue are Lloyds on chief assistant state

6:05 attorney for police and external affairs

6:08 at the Cook County State's Attorney's office.

6:10 else.

6:10 The 3rd campaign organizer for the Active Transportation Alliance.

6:13 Kay Lo and Urban Planning and policy professor at the University of Illinois,

6:17 Chicago and Joseph Schwieterman, a professor at DePaul University

6:22 specializing in public policy and transportation.

6:24 We also invited the Chicago Transit Authority

6:26 and the Chicago Police Department to join us.

6:29 But they both declined.

6:30 We think the 4 of you for joining us for this conversation.

6:35 So according to Chicago Police Department statistics year

6:40 to date 40 aggravated assaults on the CTA.

6:42 And 26 compared with 47.

6:45 During the same time last year as well as 79 aggravated

6:49 batteries this year compared with 67 during last year's time period.

6:53 increase there.

6:53 I'd like to get your reactions to some of these numbers and what

6:57 you think may be driving Robert felt like it start with you, please.

7:02 Yeah, I you know, people encountering different problems and it seems react

7:09 to those problems and issues in various ways them not sometimes or antisocial

7:21 and criminal what we as advocates want know about when and where crimes

7:28 are happening so that we can better craft responses and look behind the numbers.

7:32 And that's why one of the things that we advocate for is transit ambassadors

7:39 to help keep an eye on the system and work with passengers and the CTA staff.

7:45 That event on what you make of the of that issue on violence on the CTA.

7:48 Well, it's something that we have seen consistently over the years.

7:51 And wow.

7:54 Violent crime throughout our city has decreased significantly.

7:59 Cta crime is one area where we consistency

8:02 can STIs consistently see violent crime go up.

8:04 And that was a big source of concern state's attorney's office.

8:08 And we've implemented several initiatives to address that issue.

8:11 Yeah, I want to dig into some of those coming up.

8:15 Kay, your take on that sort of this issue you know,

8:17 violent incidents on the CTA right now.

8:23 So occurs.

8:25 Every incident is regrettable should be taken seriously.

8:28 But I wanted to think about some of the plants

8:31 Robert made kind of the root causes of violence.

8:37 Sometimes Le Monde, the CTA to solve really big picture problems,

8:42 whether they're on house folks, who need mental health care.

8:46 Structural drivers of violence like this investment.

8:52 So I'm excited by some of the pilot programs that are being

8:54 rolled out such as crisis intervention on the CTA and transit ambassadors.

9:03 So of course, it's very concerning.

9:07 But CTA is I am vetted and then it in a city

9:11 that has a lot of issues we still need to grapple with.

9:14 Yeah, absolutely.

9:14 Josh Lederman get your take on the mission.

9:16 Yeah.

9:17 For slow makes a really good points.

9:21 think what the reason this is getting so much attention, as you know,

9:23 we have the Tribune analysis about a month

9:25 or 2 ago showing were actually higher than other cities.

9:28 So while New York Boston L a,

9:29 I've seen those rates come down or is

9:34 actually increases the rate of per 100,000 passengers.

9:36 So I think what that's done lot of cities are still seeing.

9:40 was a long time since the pandemic, but they're still seeing that gradual

9:45 comeback and real heavy rail metro ridership.

9:48 We've kind of plateaued.

9:49 I think this crime issues really at the root of that.

9:52 So threatened so many things we want to see in Chicago right now.

9:56 on.

9:57 You mentioned some of the initiatives undertaken

9:59 by Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke.

10:01 One of those the creation of a Chicago Transit Authority task Force.

10:05 Can you tell us a little bit about that and what it's meant to accomplish?

10:10 Yes, so the task force is comprised

10:11 of states attorneys from all across the office.

10:14 All who have specialties in different disciplines.

10:19 The idea is that we will have those states attorneys

10:21 specially trained so that they know all of the information

10:25 that they need to to effectively and efficiently prosecute

10:29 CTA crime CT has various technologies that they use.

10:33 We have very strident discovery obligations.

10:36 So it's important that the state's attorneys that are assigned

10:40 to that task force are able to get that information,

10:43 use it quickly and effectively and make sure

10:46 that they are bringing forth very strong prosecutions.

10:49 And that was the goal of the task force.

10:52 Yes, I can imagine.

10:51 You know, you mentioned.

10:54 Cta as well as I'm sure CPD that there

10:55 must be a lot of collaboration involved there.

10:58 There is a lot of collaboration.

11:01 It's very important that we are consistently communicating and collaborating

11:05 with our partners at CTC PD and all of our other local,

11:08 state and federal law enforcement partners.

11:10 The more resources we put towards this issue, the better of a chance we have

11:17 being successful at getting those numbers come down.

11:20 You know, Kalo just last week the CTA fired

11:23 its private security force of about 250 unarmed guards.

11:26 What did you make of the decision to terminate that contract?

11:33 So that's something I struggle with.

11:34 I I understand the CTA and the agencies are trying to be

11:37 responsive to concerns by riders and operators who want to feel safe on.

11:41 You know, some of the private contractors are questions about advocacy.

11:49 I know one of them also had

11:50 a kind of troubled record with some violent incidents.

11:56 So I would like to see a different approach,

12:01 which is more frequency and a positive feedback.

12:04 Joe mentioned kind normalizing crime by by ridership.

12:09 One thing that makes people feel safe for is increased frequency.

12:13 So I think that needs to be part of the conversation

12:18 about increasing a feeling of safety is more frequent service.

12:22 I not just kind of what the default in the U.S.

12:24 is, which is policing.

12:25 You know, Robert Chill to said before that.

12:28 The sort of private guards aren't

12:29 necessarily the best approach to tackling violence.

12:32 You know, maybe more of a focus on things like mental health specialists,

12:35 you know, social workers.

12:37 And we should note CTA does have outreach teams

12:39 on the red and blue lines helping connect folks with social services.

12:43 Why do you think that's an important approach?

12:45 It's very important because people have different types of reactions

12:51 to different situations and sometimes unhoused or mental illness or

12:57 same withdraw or seeing people shoot up on Sunday.

13:02 A seen do things that make people unsafe as well as you know,

13:08 assaults more serious types of things.

13:10 So that's one of the reasons why we

13:13 want to lead them to some transit ambassadors, people.

13:16 They get to know the system.

13:18 also the other thing that needs to happen.

13:21 I always emphasize there's a gap between the lot of policing and doing nothing.

13:27 Right.

13:27 And within that gap,

13:28 there's a lot of tools and one of the things

13:33 that society needs to do and this is just not Chicago is scale up our response

13:39 to House mental illness and substance abuse us.

13:44 We we respond to those issues,

13:46 but it's not sufficient and it's not up to the scale of the Yeah.

13:51 addressing said some of those root causes.

13:54 You know, we mentioned briefly technology earlier.

13:57 Josh Lederman, do you think they're sort of

14:00 technological approaches transit agencies like

14:02 CTA should be employing, for example,

14:03 you know, CTA has got this gun detection surveillance program, things like that.

14:10 The technology is sort of our friend here.

14:12 You can see Los Angeles experiment with an app

14:15 called Transit Watch for people see an unwelcome behavior.

14:18 Crime, you know, can do a real-time report of that, which both allows,

14:22 you know, security to be mobilized, but also gives U.S.

14:25 data.

14:25 And I think right now where the problems is, BC, a crime, you know,

14:31 you're sort encouraged to get up and pick up

14:33 the emergency folarin in the in the car, the train car.

14:38 And that's somewhat of very visible, scary act.

14:41 If you're seeing something to be seen as the one you know,

14:45 calling police on a speedy so you can have you can envision apps for that.

14:50 Of course, security cameras,

14:51 the rate of apprehension violent crimes has really fallen.

14:55 I think its own numbers close to 104 or so.

14:57 And the CPA and, you know, I think with that kind of technology,

15:02 we should be able to get that rate out there.

15:04 Hopefully with a new funding coming in June afterwards,

15:05 that's going to be a big push.

15:08 Absolutely.

15:08 And we should note CTA does say that it's, you know,

15:10 it's chatbot system can be used to report these incidents of though.

15:14 You know, certainly not every writer necessarily knows that it lays you know,

15:20 last December, just a horrific attack on a CTA train left.

15:21 One person burned after they were set on fire.

15:25 The suspect in this case had been arrested

15:27 dozens of times previously involved in CT related crimes.

15:29 According to prosecutors,

15:33 what sorts of the state's attorney's office and your partner's do too,

15:37 prevent repeat offenders from committing crimes on CTA in instant like this.

15:43 What we have a couple different approaches.

15:45 One is we want to make sure that if people commit violent crimes on the CTA,

15:50 our state's attorneys are stepping up in court recounting

15:53 all that information to the court and seeking detention.

15:58 And that's important because when a person is to teens pre-trial by definition,

16:03 we are prohibiting them from repeating crimes during the course of their case.

16:09 Secondarily, we did create the task force for that reason as well.

16:13 Having the task force makes or that we

16:16 are putting forth the most effective prosecution.

16:19 We can so that we are getting convictions and individuals

16:23 who are committing violent crime due to be held accountable.

16:26 And I think it's important that we are putting resources towards that.

16:33 in touch or directed fashion what

16:35 you know after that incidents Trump administration

16:37 threatened to withhold some 50 million dollars in federal funding to the CTA.

16:43 If the agency didn't create a new safety framework.

16:45 Josh Lederman, what could that Lawson funding

16:47 mean to this eta's violence prevention efforts?

16:51 One of the city is indeed very tricky spot

16:55 because they're planning a cost the Red Line extension.

16:57 You're going south to serve neighborhoods that are underserved.

17:00 And boy, you just see that investors being compromised.

17:04 If you know, if the security of the system doesn't increase,

17:07 are people feel more comfortable riding late night,

17:09 all our and so forth, including a red line,

17:11 purple modernization, so much that investment is lost without that, you know,

17:16 without that feeling that people are going line up

17:19 for the train when traveling alone or feel scared.

17:22 So this really our whole plan better integrate our transit system and so forth.

17:29 It's pretty because of the fiction promise making people feel safe.

17:33 And I think the good news is the CTA gets this.

17:35 Now, as we've been saying,

17:36 a lot of efforts with social service agencies with DCFS with new experimentation

17:43 with are officers are trying things now that we didn't see a couple years ago.

17:48 That's encouraging would be better.

17:49 Those the see of course, trends moving in the right direction.

17:52 All right.

17:54 You know, Kalo as part of that updated safety plan.

17:57 The CTA announced increased police patrols on train and bus lines,

18:00 including some a bus ride alongs which many

18:04 operators have asked for, you know, in recent years.

18:06 What's your reaction to that?

18:10 That increase presence?

18:12 So on one thing I want to recognize is that my perspective

18:16 on on the potential place impact might different than those of the operators?

18:22 And I you know, I want recognize

18:22 the CTA for listening to their operators and riders.

18:27 Personally as a writer,

18:29 I'd rather see full train car than empty train car with the place.

18:36 So I I think it's important to listen to the operators on the front lines.

18:42 But I would like to see more funding go

18:45 to service enhancements relative to the police and much it.

18:50 Yeah, certainly we hearing even from the CTA itself that, you know,

18:53 more frequent trains and buses and more

18:54 riders make for a safer experience for everyone.

18:55 You know, the Robert Altman,

18:59 when you talk to trap transit riders about safety issues,

19:02 what sorts of concerns do they bring up?

19:04 What do you hear from them?

19:08 There's a whole range of safety begins the moment.

19:11 You leave your house and whether you could even get

19:15 across the street like Cicero Avenue or North Avenue that are

19:19 dangerous intersections of your bus stop on the other side

19:22 of the street that poses a risk and goes into your calculus,

19:28 then I think important development that we're going to see

19:35 the bus operators with the cameras on their persons.

19:38 Every bus has approximately 11 cameras already inside and outside.

19:42 But I think that would be a extra slim and operators will will feel more safe.

19:50 So there's things that we can do that or technical.

19:53 There's things that we can do that early goal.

19:55 And then there's things that we can do.

20:00 Out of social sociology.

20:01 But the most important thing I think is delivering on service.

20:08 And part of that is like at a bus stop.

20:09 It's just a pole.

20:12 It's just you and the world.

20:16 If there's a shelter where you can sit that slide it and perhaps even has

20:22 a panic button or some way to communicate

20:24 with an authority like you see on college campuses.

20:27 Those our service delivery.

20:30 Things that are within CTA.

20:31 It's Rome that they could do to in the cape and hand safety.

20:36 You know, that the transit funding and reform bill passed last

20:40 year creating the new northern Illinois

20:41 Transit Authority overseeing that just CTA.

20:42 Also, Metra and pace.

20:44 It includes among other things, the new law enforcement task force that will

20:48 be led by the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

20:50 Are you hopeful that could, you know,

20:51 sort of improve some of these issues around public safety on transit?

20:56 Absolutely.

20:56 I think whenever law enforcement is working with all

20:59 of the partners that are impacted by whatever the issue is,

21:03 we always have a better opportunity of addressing problems

21:06 head-on and more comprehensively into some of the points

21:10 that have been made by the other people

21:13 and the panels prosecuting violent offenders is one option.

21:16 But there are other actions that the state's

21:20 attorneys office has implemented as well.

21:23 For example, when a person appears in first appearance court and they may

21:26 not have committed a violent crime and we aren't seeking detention on that case.

21:31 We have been requesting conditions their pretrial release

21:36 to make sure that they are not returning

21:39 to the locations where they may have committed

21:41 that crime preventing that hopefully will deter future criminal activity.

21:46 And it also makes the people who've been

21:49 impacted in victimized by that crime feel safer.

21:52 That's our goal.

21:54 You know, the bill also creates a transit ambassador program,

21:57 which many advocates have long called Joe Schwieterman.

22:01 Your reaction to that provision?

22:05 Well, certainly I think, you know, that's low-cost way.

22:08 And in my view is that, you know,

22:09 the scale of our system, the uniformed police officers,

22:11 while they are that great, the critical part that's so expensive compared

22:16 to just on trains and buses everywhere, think.

22:20 good news about our system is, you know, the metro system is seen as safe even

22:24 the CTA buses have a higher level you know,

22:29 consumer sense of security than the CTA trains.

22:31 So it's really our problems or or heavily focused on on the CTA rail.

22:37 And that's where those investors can really make a difference.

22:40 It can de-escalate.

22:40 They can give people confidence.

22:42 Some of those have empty trains that there's there's somebody watching

22:45 and done quickly and a fraction of the cost of those uniform officers.

22:52 Yeah, you Robert Felt even with all these efforts even with the new focus

22:57 on this can be difficult time sometimes

22:58 to change the perception that folks have that seat.

23:00 He may not be safe.

23:02 Yeah.

23:02 Oh, that's a real tricky thing.

23:06 You know, safety is a function of perceptions

23:10 so when you hear these high-level headlines,

23:15 people react to them in different ways.

23:17 But when you look at statistics,

23:20 the average person out there taking the CTA, right?

23:23 It's generally going to be safe.

23:25 And I think one of the things that's going to help advocates us knowing

23:28 where some of these incidents are happening and how we can respond to One thing

23:35 I see in my travels is at one occasion there was a half dozen private

23:41 security and the couple enforcement people

23:45 at a major station at 09:00AM in the morning.

23:48 That's not when the danger is for the average rider.

23:52 It's at 02:00AM in the morning.

23:53 Coming back from a concert and you're good boarding the L Harrison

23:58 station where the lighting is poor and there's very few people around.

24:02 Yeah, we've got just about 30 seconds left.

24:05 But you know, if that obviously there are so many factors that go into crime,

24:09 mental health, economic conditions.

24:12 You know, beyond sort of specifically focusing on CTA,

24:15 are there things you think that, you know,

24:19 city leaders should do to help reduce crime on on the CTA and elsewhere?

24:22 I think we have to keep the general public educated.

24:26 About what is going on and how they can protect themselves.

24:29 We had our community engagement,

24:31 people various CTA stations last week to do just that.

24:35 And I think when we are open and accessible and listening to commuters,

24:38 we have a good chance being successful not only the reality of safety,

24:44 but the perception of safety as well.

24:46 All right.

24:46 It's a big topic, but you all helped us break it down.

24:49 That's all the time we've got.

24:51 Derby, right.

24:52 Schultz, 3rd, that liaison, Cate Low-and, Joseph Schwieterman,

24:54 thank you all very much for your insights.

24:56 We appreciate it.

24:57 Thank you.

24:58 Thank you, too.

25:00 And we're back to wrap things up right after this.

25:05 Chicago tonight is made possible in part

25:07 why the Alexandra and John Nichols family.

25:09 The Pope Brothers Foundation.

25:13 And the support of these donors.

25:25 And that's our show for this Monday night.

25:28 Be sure to sign up for our free e-mail newsletters,

25:31 the Daily, Chicago and and Urban Nature.

25:33 The W T Tw Dot Com Slash newsletter join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10.

25:38 Now for all of us here Chicago tonight.

25:40 I'm Nick Blumberg.

25:41 Thank you for watching.

25:47 Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

26:34 Closed captioning is made possible by Clifford and Clifford Law offices,

26:41 Chicago, personal injury and wrongful death front with more than 40