Career Criminal With 72 Arrests Sets Woman Aflame on Chicago Train; White House Reacts

It looks like you don't have to take the train in New York City to be set on fire — that could be your fate in Chicago as well. Bethany MaGee, 26, was set on fire on Chicago's L train earlier this month by a man with 72 prior arrests, nine of them felonies. But Lawrence Reed, 50, had served time only twice for a total of two and a half years.

Bethany MaGee, 26, identified as Chicago woman set on fire on CTA train by serial thug with 72 arrests https://t.co/25TQyohXTK pic.twitter.com/yEf65xtkxY
— New York Post (@nypost) November 23, 2025

The New York Post reports:

“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,” US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on social media Sunday.
“This would never have happened if this thug had been behind bars. Yet Chicago lets repeat offenders roam the streets,” Duffy said of suspect Lawrence Reed, 50, who is facing federal terrorism charges in connection with the senseless fire attack.
…
Reed approached MaGee, who was sitting with her back to the crazed firebug on the train in downtown Chicago around 9 p.m. Nov. 17, according to the criminal complaint.
He then removed the cap from a bottle of liquid, pouring it all over her head and body. MaGee fled, but Reed caught up with her and set the bottle, which fell to the floor, on fire, but he allegedly retrieved it and used it to set her ablaze.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wasn't the only member of the administration to call attention to Reed's lengthy rap sheet. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asked how this was able to take place.

An innocent, beautiful 26-year-old woman riding the subway was randomly set on fire by a career criminal.

Pray for Bethany as she fights for her life.

HOW was this allowed to take place?

This monster should have been locked behind bars, not roaming the streets.

These liberal… https://t.co/15yljObjfj pic.twitter.com/Oor9ladDIT
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) November 25, 2025

Speaking of the judges who keep letting these lunatics out over and over again, here's Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez telling a very small audience how good it felt that a person who looked like her was put in charge of a courtroom. She even locked eyes with an African American state trooper who nodded, and she knew what that meant.

Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez (D) who let Lawrence Reed out before he lit a woman on fire despite prosecutors begging to keep him detained and 72 prior arrests, basically admits she’s a DEI hire and rules based on how people look pic.twitter.com/eIKOjptiOj
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 23, 2025

Here's President Trump calling Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker "a big fat slob" and Mayor Brandon Johnson incompetent. Where's the lie?

.@POTUS: "They burned this beautiful woman riding in a train. A man was arrested 72 times... It's horrible what's happening in Chicago." https://t.co/3B7uPblTMR pic.twitter.com/kiMKGQyFo9
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 25, 2025

There was NO justice for the criminal's 72 other victims.
— Anne Shelton 🇺🇸 (@shelton2053) November 25, 2025

There must be accountability for judges https://t.co/CJoz1NFhMX
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 25, 2025

Agreed.

Pray for Bethany.

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Editor's Note: Radical leftist judges are doing everything they can to hamstring President Trump's agenda to make America great again.

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