Man charged for shooting gun on CTA Blue Line Division station platform

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man has been charged for firing a gun on a CTA Blue Line platform on the Northwest Side early Monday morning, Chicago police said.

After a disturbance on a train just after 1:05 a.m., a 32-year-old man got off at the Division station, in the 1200-block of North Milwaukee Avenue, and recklessly discharged a firearm on the platform, CPD said.

Officers took the man into custody, and a gun was recovered, police said.

No one was injured. One person was taken to a hospital for observation.

A CTA spokesman said the man appeared to be severely intoxicated.

Monday afternoon police said 32-year-old Brandon Taylor was charged with two felonies: one count of reckless discharge of a firearm and another count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a person without a firearm owner's identification card.

CPD initially said shots were fired at a CTA employee on a Blue Line train near Division.

There were passengers on the train when shots were fired who said they were very shaken up by the incident.

"I was riding the train," witness Grant Brown said. "We came to the stop here at Division, and the doors opened. And we heard gunshots. There was a pause, and then another couple rounds; then, the doors closed and we are all sorta waiting."

Read the CTA's full statement below:

"As the latest CPD narrative indicates, and according to preliminary information - including review of security camera footage and the operator's initial statement-the offender in this morning's incident appeared to be severely intoxicated and there was no altercation with a CTA employee prior to the person discharging a firearm on the platform.
"That said, the safety and security of CTA employees and our riders is our No. 1 priority. The reckless behavior we observed by this individual was completely unacceptable and we are working closely with law enforcement officials to pursue charges to the fullest extent of the law.

"We extend our sincere gratitude to the Chicago Police Department for their quick response and apprehension of this individual - which is a reflection of the close, collaborative efforts between our two agencies."

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