A convicted felon has been apprehended and charged after attacking and robbing a Chicago Transit Authority train passenger.
This offender was arrested within five days because of the close collaboration between the Citywide Robbery Task Force detectives, the Public Transportation Section’s SDSC Room and the Public Transportation Section Tactical Team. Members from each of these teams, alongside members of CTA Safety & Security, had a role to play in apprehending this violent offender and helping to bring justice to the victim of this crime.
On January 25, 2026, a 23-year-old male victim was on a CTA Red Line train when an offender approached the victim. The victim ignored the offender, who then began yelling and striking the victim multiple times in the face. The offender then robbed the victim of his belongings. When the train arrived at the North/Clybourn station, the victim followed the offender off the train. The offender continued to yell at the victim and struck the victim in the face again before fleeing on foot.
Citywide Robbery Task Force detectives embedded within the Public Transportation Section’s Strategic Decision Support Center (SDSC) were tasked with this investigation. As detectives interviewed the victim, the SDSC room members began recovering video of the incident from the CTA’s expansive camera network. Both a public Community Alert and an internal law enforcement alert were issued with images of the offender.
Stock photo provided by the Chicago Transit Authority
Members of the Public Transportation Section’s Tactical Team recognized the offender from the internal alert and identified him as 28-year-old Aaron Hughes. The victim also positively identified Hughes as the offender from a photo array. Hughes has prior convictions for robbery and armed robbery.
The Public Transportation Section’s Tactical Team located Hughes on January 30, 2026, while he was on the Monroe Red Line station platform. He was placed into custody. In partnership with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Hughes was charged with one felony count of Robbery and one felony count of Aggravated Battery against a Transit Passenger.