A Northwestern University professor said he was ambushed by a gunman on a Chicago transit train in 2021, recounting the episode on social media this week as public anger surged over the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a train in North Carolina.
Stephen Kleinschmit, a public policy professor who described himself as conservative, wrote on X that a man "dressed in all-black and a Shiesty mask" walked between cars of the Blue Line, reached into a backpack and put a handgun to his head. Kleinschmit said the attacker did not take anything, laughed when Kleinschmit cried and then moved to the next car.
Kleinschmit wrote that the incident was "emotionally scarring" and said he still avoids the L train and can suffer anxiety attacks when someone walks between cars. He said he had also witnessed other violent incidents on the city's rail lines, including a gang attack, a robbery and an attempted sexual assault, and expressed distrust of official statistics that show violent crime has declined in Chicago.
Posting amid outrage over the Aug. 22 killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who authorities say was stabbed from behind while riding a Charlotte commuter train, Kleinschmit urged federal intervention in Chicago. He called for deployment of the FBI and National Guard, hiring more police officers, stricter parole for violent offenders and efforts to dismantle gangs. He criticized local prosecutors and elected leaders by name, saying they "punish good people and reward the bad," and said he did not report his 2021 attack to former Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx because he believed she would "never do anything about it."
Zarutska's family has described her death as "an irreparable loss." Video shared publicly appeared to show a man, later identified by law enforcement as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., lunging at Zarutska from behind. The footage then skips the most graphic moments and shows the suspect walking through the carriage with a knife and blood on his clothing as other passengers fled.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police charged Brown with murder. Authorities say he was homeless and had multiple prior arrests, including for armed robbery and assault. Court records and local reporting indicate he was released on a written promise to appear in a prior case. President Donald Trump, speaking Sept. 7, said he would look into the killing and called it "horrible."
Kleinschmit's account amplified already heightened debate over transit safety and criminal justice policy as officials and the public react to Zarutska's death. Chicago has been a focal point of national conversations about urban crime, policing and prosecutorial discretion; former and current municipal leaders have disagreed publicly with federal and national political figures about the causes of and solutions to violent crime.
Public transit agencies have taken various measures in recent years to address passenger safety, including increased police presence, emergency response training and public awareness campaigns. City and transit officials in Chicago have cited declines in certain crime categories in some recent statistics, while acknowledging ongoing concerns and the need for targeted interventions.
Advocates for criminal justice reform contend that root causes such as poverty, homelessness and lack of access to mental health services must be addressed alongside law enforcement responses. Victim advocates and family members of Zarutska have pressed for accountability and changes to prevent similar attacks.
Kleinschmit's post on X resonated with many who cited personal transit safety worries. He concluded his message by calling for a "broad cultural reset" to remove what he described as "hyperviolent criminals and repeat offenders" from society, a prescription that reflects the broader, contested national debate over how best to reduce violent crime and protect public spaces.
Law enforcement agencies involved in both the Chicago and Charlotte incidents did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment beyond previously released statements. Court proceedings for Brown were pending in Charlotte at the time of the reporting.