(MENAFN- Live Mint) A man who was accused of setting a woman on fire inside a Chicago commuter train was found to be a serial offender. Lawrence Reed was on Wednesday accused of committing a terrorist attack, with federal prosecutors alleging that he poured gasoline on a woman and chased her through a Chicago train car before setting her on fire.

According to the Associated Press, Chicago police said that when they arrested Reed on Tuesday morning, he made incriminating statements about the attack. He was wearing the same clothes as the man who attacked the woman and had burns on his right hand, according to the affidavit.

Reed carried out the attack“with the intent to cause death and serious bodily injury to one or more persons” on the train, the ATF investigator wrote.

Reed, who allegedly shouted“burn alive b–h” when he was arrested, was ordered to stay behind bars during a court hearing Friday.

Who is Lawrence Reed?

Lawrence Reed, 50, is alleged to have poured gasoline over a 26-year-old woman on a CTA Blue Line train and later set her on fire Monday evening.

Lawrence Reed is said to be a serial offender. He allegedly had had more than 70 prior arrests to his name. It reportedly emerged that Reed was out on pretrial release at the time of the incident for an aggravated battery charge.

Records show that Reed had previously been arrested 72 times in Cook County alone and convicted in 15 of those cases, the feds was quoted by New York Post as saying in court papers.

"But the maniac never served any time and was only given probation despite being convicted of the arson incident in April 2020," court documents show.

At a news conference after Reed's court appearance, federal officials expressed frustration that he was free at the time of the attack, saying he had a long criminal history while providing few details.

“Lawrence Reed had no business being on the streets given that his violent criminal history and his pending criminal cases,” ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Amon said.

“Reed had plenty of second chances by the criminal justice system and as a result, you have an innocent victim in the hospital fighting for her life," Amon was quoted by AP as saying.

Asked about Reed's mental health, US Attorney Andrew Boutros reportedly said he was not aware of Reed ever legally being declared mentally incompetent.

Chicago news outlets reported earlier that Reed was disruptive during his first appearance in a federal court on Wednesday afternoon, including yelling over the judge that he wanted to represent himself and claiming that he was a Chinese citizen.

Reed shouted,“I plead guilty!” repeatedly as the judge tried to advise him of his rights, according to local news reports.

What was the incident?

Lawrence Reed was sitting at the back of a car on a Blue Line L train on Monday night when he approached the woman as she sat with her back to him and doused her with gasoline that was in a plastic beverage bottle, according to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrest affidavit.

The 26-year-old woman fought off the man as he tried to ignite the gas, then she ran from one end of the car to the other as Reed chased her, an investigator said in the affidavit, citing surveillance video from the train.

Reed then ignited the bottle, approached the woman and set her on fire, according to the affidavit.

The federal charge against Reed, 50, of Chicago, carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Chicago fire incident sparks debate

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk joined the debate on the US criminal justice system after a man, who was accused of setting a woman on fire inside a Chicago commuter train, was found to be a serial offender.

Musk said in a post on X,“It is incredibly cruel of so many judges to push murderous thugs on the innocent public! And double shame on anyone who funds them to do so.”

Earlier, Secretary Sean Duffy said, "It is devastating that a career criminal with 72 PRIOR ARRESTS is now accused of attacking 26-year-old Bethany MaGee on Chicago's L train, and setting her on fire."

"This would never have happened if this thug had been behind bars. Yet Chicago lets repeat offenders roam the streets," he added.

"Chicago's carelessness is putting the American people at risk. No one should ever have to fear for their life on the subway," he said.

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