A brutal train murder on a Chicago Blue Line train has drawn national attention after prosecutors revealed the suspect allegedly filmed the killing and its aftermath. Authorities say the attack occurred early Saturday morning while the victim slept, underscoring growing concerns about violent crime on public transit.
Prosecutors allege 40-year-old Demetrius Thurman fatally stabbed 37-year-old Dominique Pollion around 2:17 a.m. as Pollion slept in a train car. According to court records reviewed by FOX 32 Chicago, Pollion had been asleep for nearly an hour and had no interaction with Thurman before the attack. Prosecutors say the two men did not know each other.
Thurman allegedly approached Pollion from behind, began recording with his cellphone, and stabbed him once in the chest near the heart and once in the abdomen using a knife with a bright-orange handle. Pollion reportedly woke up screaming and tried to move down the aisle before collapsing. He later died at a hospital.
Investigators say CTA surveillance video captured the stabbing and its aftermath, along with video recorded on Thurman’s phone. Court documents state that after the attack, Thurman turned the phone on himself, recording his face. When the train reached the Clark/Lake station, a passenger alerted security. While on the platform, Thurman allegedly recorded himself again and said, “somebody got his ass,” before leaving.
Prosecutors say surveillance images were run through Illinois’ facial recognition system, leading to Thurman’s identification. A Chicago police officer who encountered Thurman days earlier also recognized him. Thurman was arrested Sunday wearing the same clothes seen in surveillance footage. Prosecutors allege his phone contained videos of the stabbing and photos of other sleeping passengers. Thurman is charged with first-degree murder.
