Recorded attack on cell phone: Man accused of murdering Chicago train passenger
Demetrius Thurman, 40, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Dominique Pollion, 37, who was sleeping on a Chicago train
A man accused of murdering another passenger during a weekend stabbing on a Chicago train allegedly recorded the attack and its aftermath on his cell phone, according to prosecutors.
The accused was identified as Demetrius Thurman, of A 40-year-old man faces first-degree murder charges in the death of 37-year-old Dominique Pollion. The crime occurred early Saturday morning on a Blue Line train, according to reports cited by FOX 32 Chicago. The victim was asleep and did not know his attacker. Court records indicate that Pollion had been asleep in the train car for nearly an hour and had not previously interacted with Thurman. Prosecutors stated that the two men did not know each other. Around 2:17 am, Thurman allegedly approached from behind, began recording with his phone, and stabbed the victim twice, once in the chest near the heart and once in the abdomen, using a knife with a bright orange handle. Pollion woke up screaming and tried to back down the aisle of the train car before collapsing. Thurman left the train and changed trains, according to prosecutors. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
Videos, Facial Recognition, and Arrest
The prosecution stated that the attack was captured on both Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) security cameras and on video recorded on the defendant's phone. After the stabbing, Thurman allegedly recorded himself and, as the train arrived at the Clark/Lake station, refocused the camera on his face while saying, "Someone beat him up."
The footage was analyzed using Illinois facial recognition software, which allowed authorities to identify the suspect. A Chicago police officer also recognized him from a previous encounter on another Blue Line train.
Thurman was arrested on Sunday. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing the same clothes seen in the videos and carrying a phone with recordings of the attack and photographs of other sleeping passengers. The prosecution stated that a cousin of the accused identified him and that Thurman admitted to committing the stabbing.The case comes amid growing concerns about safety on Chicago's transit system, which has attracted federal attention following several violent incidents in recent months.