SWAT Team Called For Man With Knife On Red Line Tracks At 79th Street; Trains, Dan Ryan Shut Down For Hours
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Red Line south of Garfield Boulevard and the Dan Ryan Expressway were both shut down Saturday as a police SWAT team responded for a man with a knife on the tracks at 79th Street.
The Chicago Transit Authority said the Red Line was shut down between 95th and Garfield due to the man on the tracks near 79th Street. Trains were only operating between Howard and Garfield, and shuttle bus service was in use for the remainder of the route.
All northbound and southbound lanes of the Dan Ryan were also shut down at 79th Street, with northbound traffic being diverted off the expressway at 87th Street and southbound traffic being diverted off at 79th Street, according to Illinois State Police.
The northbound side of the expressway reopened at 9:23 p.m., and the southbound side reopened a short time later.
Police said the 27-year-old man was taken into custody at 8:13 p.m. Police had to use a Taser on him, and he was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.
But the man was later pronounced dead at the hospital after succumbing to self-inflicted stab wounds, police said.
Area Two Detectives are investigating.
