CTA employees fired after passenger seen in viral video being body-slammed
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Lawrence Madden says he is the man seen being body-slammed to the ground by a CTA bus driver in a now viral video..
Madden, who was joined by his attorneys Tuesday morning, said he was afraid to speak publicly before, saying the incident was too traumatic.
Madden said he suffered head and back injuries as well as post traumatic stress following the incident, which has sparked a CTA Investigation.
"I'm going through pain right now, I can't sleep, I got headaches, depression, paranoid, thinking that somebody's coming after me," said Madden. "I don't even want to get on the bus because I feel threatened."
The video shows two CTA employees involved in an altercation with Madden that ended up with him being body slammed.
RELATED: CTA employees under investigation over video that shows altercation involving body-slam
Madden said he was on a bus on June 11, when it stopped near 77th and Western Avenue on the South Side. He said his bus driver had stopped to talk to another bus driver heading in the opposite direction.
Madden said he then yelled out urging his driver to keep the bus moving so he could get to his stop a few blocks away.
His bus driver got angry and got off the bus to come around to the back, according to Madden.
Madden said when he got off the bus, the driver beat him on the street. That's when the second bus driver got off his bus, and allegedly slammed Madden to the ground.
The CTA announced Tuesday that following an internal investigation, it's fired two CTA employee involved in the altercation on June 11. According to a statement, the workers were terminated for violation of several CTA rules, including fighting while on duty, conduct unbecoming a CTA employee and failure to report the incident.
"CTA's number one priority is the safety and security of its riders and employees. The behavior of these former employees was unacceptable and is not at all reflective of the thousands of men and women who take pride and responsibility in their CTA duties," the statement read.
Attorneys for Madden want both drivers charged.
"If it was me, or if it was Mr. Madden who did this to a regular citizen, he would be charged with a battery," said his attorney Ari Williams. "These CTA drivers should be charged with a battery."
