Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has, as of Sunday, not publicly commented on two high‑profile incidents in Chicago — a woman set on fire on a Blue Line train and a deadly shooting spree after the city’s Christmas tree lighting — even as former President Donald Trump renews offers of federal assistance and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson urges community involvement to curb gun violence.
Over the past week, Chicago has seen two major violent episodes that have drawn national attention and renewed political debate over crime and public safety.
On Monday, a 26‑year‑old woman was attacked on Chicago’s Blue Line public transit system. Federal authorities say 50‑year‑old Lawrence Reed poured gasoline on her and set her on fire, leaving her in critical condition. Court filings and local reporting describe Reed as a repeat offender with a lengthy criminal record. The Daily Wire, citing the New York Post, reports that after his arrest Reed allegedly shouted phrases including "burn b*tch" and "burn alive b*tch."(dailywire.com)
In public remarks following the attack, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the crime and argued that it did not reflect typical conditions on the city’s transit system. "All I can say is that as awful and as horrific as this tragedy is, this is an isolated incident," Johnson said, according to The Daily Wire. He also called for expedited federal funding for Chicago’s transit network and said he expects federal officials to ensure accountability: "The level of accountability that has to happen at this moment, I trust that the federal level will do its part."(dailywire.com)
Just days earlier, on Friday night, two shootings occurred in Chicago’s downtown Loop district shortly after the city’s official Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Millennium Park. Police say one person, identified as 14‑year‑old Armani Floyd, was killed and eight others were wounded in the attacks, which took place near the Chicago Theatre and several blocks away on South Dearborn Street. The incidents unfolded amid large holiday crowds and left seven teenagers among the injured, according to CBS Chicago and other local outlets.(cbsnews.com)
In the aftermath, Johnson acknowledged the city’s ongoing struggle with gun violence and appealed to families to help keep young people away from dangerous gatherings. "I am the first person to recognize that we have more work to do in this city," he said, urging that "parents, guardians, and other responsible adults" accompany young people to large, unsanctioned gatherings where weapons may be present, according to The Daily Wire’s account of his comments.(dailywire.com)
Former President Donald Trump reacted to the violence by renewing his call for federal intervention in Chicago. In a Truth Social post on Saturday, he wrote: "Massive crime and rioting in the Chicago Loop area. Multiple Police Officers attacked and badly injured. 300 people rioting, 6 victims shot, one critical and one DEAD. In the meantime, Governor Pritzker and the Low IQ Mayor of Chicago are refusing Federal Government help for a situation that could be quickly remedied. The people are chanting, BRING IN TRUMP!!!" The post was widely reported and archived by several outlets.(foxnews.com)
The Daily Wire notes that this is one of several occasions on which Trump has publicly offered to send National Guard troops or other federal assistance to Chicago. In a statement reported by ABC News in September, Trump said, "Pritzker needs help badly, just doesn’t know it yet. I will solve the crime problem fast, just like I did in DC. Chicago will be safe again."(dailywire.com)
As of the latest reports on Sunday, there has been no public statement from Governor J.B. Pritzker specifically addressing either the train attack or the Loop shootings, and his office did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire. Other major outlets covering the incidents have likewise not reported any direct public remarks from the governor about these two events.(dailywire.com)
