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Metra BNSF Line trains have been halted this morning as police search the No. 1252 express. The train was stopped at the Lisle station at 8 a.m. and has been at a stand-still since as police have evacuated and searched passengers. A source told the Tribune that one passenger called police from a cellphone after overhearing another passenger mention he had a gun on him.
Update: It's now been confirmed by the Trib that a ticket agent at the Naperville Metra stop called 911 after a man asked her several suspicious security-related questions. As of now the train has been reboarded but there's no report from police if anyone was arrested.
Update II: As a commenter pointed out below, CBS 2 is now reporting that the man who caused all the ruckus in the first place appears to be a secret service agent and is fully cooperating with police.
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Someone called the police for that? I can see if someone was flashing a gun around, but just overhearing someone claim they have a gun on them? C'mon.
So tell me: how would you react if the person next to you was saying this? Just sit there? Move to another car?
It's not like Metra or CTA trains are being stopped and boarded daily by police in order to search each rider. I use public transit daily and for one am grateful someone chose to speak up in this situation.
How would I react? It's hard to say. I'd probably assume the guy was full of shit, although we now know that there was no overheard gun claim, just some "suspicious" questions about security. Either way, calling the police and having the entire machinery of the morning commute brought to a screeching halt for something so vague doesn't make anyone safer; it just further desensitizes us to the everyday shit we should actually be concerned about.
We've all turned into a bunch of paranoid, reactionary, morons.
Probably some paranoid old hag, afraid of the dark complected guy behind her, who was Italian or some kind of Spanish.
You know, some people are still a little freaked out due to the terrorist attacks. I don't understand why you guys have to be so mean to some people. Yeah, it may have not been anything and caused a lot of inconvenience, but it also could have saved the lives of people you may have known on that train. We don't know what could have happened if she hadn't called that in. In this day and time this is not really something that you want to just brush off and make jokes about. I'm sure she was scared for her life and everyone else's on that train. Be thankful that she called the police, I know I am, because now I see that many people would not. (Or maybe you would have if you were in her situation.)
I totally agree Cosmo. My dad has ridden Metra daily for 45 years. I'd rather have him occasionally inconvenienced than, say, murdered!
It's not so bad to be a little paranoid - use your fear (or gut instinct or intuition or whatever you want to call it) to protect yourself.
The Tribune updated the story to say a ticket agent called 911 after a "suspicious man" asked suspicious questions about security. People are paranoid.
My dad rides the train every day. This is the first time we've ever heard of this happening. Usually the train is just stopped to kick off obnoxious, fighting drunks on the weekends.
Thanks for the heads up!
I used to have the attitude that I would never want to butt in where it wasn't my business. I didn't want to be a Gladys Kravitz.
These days I have a much more pro-active attitude.
Even the local police are now encouraging citizens to call them even if you THINK something is wrong.
Better safe than sorry, as several posters above stated.
I don't care two wits about being politically correct in situations like this.
We really just need to start listening to our guts.
My gut says stopping trains based on a tip sucks, just like not letting people take water through security sucks.
It's very easy to make these sorts of things into little boy who cried wolf scenarios.
Without more details about what was said, it's hard to judge the actions taken. It had to really suck standing out in that lovely weather this morning that's for sure.
A source told the Tribune that one passenger called police from a cellphone after overhearing another passenger mention he had a gun on him.
It would be really funny if the passenger who mentioned he had a gun was a cop in full uniform.
Well, maybe not funny but... something.
Heh ... funy you should say. CBS2 just reported it was a secret service agent.
Trib has confirmed the secret service agent story: Link here.
hrmph. my link didn't work. well, it's there on the breaking news section of the trib.
this guy sounds like an idiot. all he had to was flash his badge, state he's an LEO, then ask his question and the whole thing would have been avoided. why be vague about it and arouse suspicion in the process?
Wow, I feel so much safer. If you bring more than 3 ounces of contact lense solution on the plane the terrorists will getcha!
The sad thing is more people fear things like terrorist attacks, plane crashes, or a stranger murdering you or a loved one. What they should be scared of are real killers like obesity, heart disease, and lung cancer- all which they have some control over. Most murders and kidnappings are perpetrated by someone the victim knows, and that's a fact, yet people like this one are scared of someone on their metra train.
I think we as a society need to get our priorities in order when it comes to what we fear.