Surveillance photos released of man who punched, kicked pregnant woman on CTA Red Line train

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Police are searching for a man who punched and kicked a pregnant woman on a CTA Red Line train Wednesday night.

Surveillance photos of the attacker have been released and printed on flyers that were hung in CTA stations.

Police said the 25-year-old woman was on a northbound train near the Addison station at about 11:11 p.m. when a man punched and kicked her.

ABC7 Eyewitness News spoke with the woman, who only wished to be identified by her first name, Ashley. She said she felt alone as she endured the beating.

"It is ridiculous. Somebody should have done something," she said.

Ashley said she heard the man saying derogatory things about women prior to the attack. She ducked her head as he got in her face.

"I said, 'Sir, I am not going to fight you. I don't know you. Please don't put your hands on me,'" she said.

Ashley said she pushed the button to speak with the train operator as the man exited the train at Addison.

"I said, 'That was bogus. I'm a female and I'm pregnant,'" she said. "And once I said that he opened the doors again and attacked me."

The man ran down the stairs and out of the station after the attack.

Ashley told ABC7 Eyewitness News she tried asking a CTA employee for help and they responded, "What the f*** I'm going to do? I'm not the police."

Ashley said she's afraid to get back on a CTA train and is calling for more security.

"I think it would protect people riding the train because I'm not the only one who has gotten brutally attacked on the train," she said.

A CTA spokesperson said the company could not comment on the specific incident but that "any such response from an employee is unacceptable."

The suspect is described as a man, 30-40 years old, 5'5-5'9", 150-200 pounds and was wearing a brown jacket with a brown bag worn across his body and blue jeans.

Police are investigating. No one is in custody.