Rhanni S. Davis appeared in a Maywood courtroom Wednesday afternoon, where a judge said, "The facts alleged by the state are absolutely horrific and appalling."
She called the shooting "execution-style."
Family members of one of the victims were present.
Assistant State's Attorney Eugene Wood said, "The family is devastated understandably."
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Davis, who has had training in security and home health care and worked at a Chicago Taco Bell recently, has been charged with first-degree murder in the incident.
Cameras weren't allowed in the courtroom, but there were at least 12 deputies surrounding Davis.
Davis' public defender said he was in no mood to talk Wednesday.
Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins said three of the victims were sleeping when they were shot early Monday morning.
The four adult victims are three men and one woman, police said. Three of the victims were found shot in one train car and one was found in another. Police said the victims were not robbed.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified three of the victims on Tuesday.
Adrian Collins, 60, suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Wood described the confrontation between Collins and the gunman.
"The defendant positioned himself in front of victim Collins, who raised his hands in a defensive posture, as the defendant shot victim Collins once in the torso," Wood said.
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Simeon Bihesi, 29, was shot multiple times. His father described him as selfless.
"My son was a very good person. He was a very good child, very obedient, very helpful," said Leonard Nyamusevya. "He wanted to help people badly."
Before his death, Bihesi was a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marines, serving from 2016 to 2022. But his father in Ohio said his son became unhoused after suffering from depression.
"I was planning to take him from Chicago to bring him back to Columbus and get him organized," he said.
Margaret Miller Johnson, 64, of Des Plaines suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
All three deaths are classified as homicides. Forest Park police said they are still trying to contact the fourth victim's next of kin. He was a 52-year-old man.
CTA workers discovered the horrific scene around 5:30 a.m. Monday just as the inbound train arrived at the final stop.
Hoskins said it is believed the shooting occurred closer to the Harlem Blue Line station.
Prosecutors said Davis' first three victims, the 52-year-old, Bihesi and Johnson, were gunned down on the same train car. All were shot in the head or face and pronounced dead on the scene.
Collins was shot in the next car, and taken to Loyola Hospital, where he died.
Video shows what police describe as a witness fleeing the moving train, as it pulled into the Harlem station.
Seconds later, Davis, after stepping off the train, is seen calmly walking the platform.
Davis, who still had a gun, was taken into custody after 90 minutes at the California CTA Pink Line station.
Police said new video footage from CTA cameras shows Davis in a black shirt and green pants, leaving the Harlem Blue Line stop after fleeing from the shooting.
Prosecutors say he was in the same clothes and wearing a mask when he used a 9-millimeter gun to shoot the victims.
Court documents show Davis got off the train and then on again 15 minutes later, riding it toward the Loop, and getting on the Pink Line, where a train operator saw the suspect and alerted police.
"He had a handgun on his person, and he had 9-millimeter ammunition in the North Face bag," Wood said. "A south suburban police officer who was familiar with the defendant also identified him from the CTA video."
Officers recovered five shell casings on the Blue Line.
The state said Davis' hands were tested and came back positive for gunshot residue.
The train operator who alerted police hopes the action gives some closure and sense of safety to the community.
There are still a lot of questions surrounding the shooting, including any possible motive.
At a Tuesday evening press conference, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said, "It is safe to say this was a random attack."
Forest Park police said this is the first time they have had contact with that suspect, but added that he has a history of weapons offenses in Chicago.
Davis is next due in court Sept. 27.