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15-Year-Old Charged in Death of Man Pushed From Chicago Red Line Train

The arrest will keep most court proceedings and records closed under Illinois juvenile law.

Overview

  • Police say 29-year-old Kyle Bickham was assaulted and pushed from a moving Red Line car near 69th Street, landed on the electrified third rail, and was struck by an oncoming train in an incident investigators now treat as a homicide.
  • Detectives arrested a 15-year-old girl on Friday and charged her with first-degree murder, mob action, murder during a forcible felony, and aggravated battery; she was ordered held after a juvenile detention hearing.
  • Authorities say three people were involved in the attack and investigators are still seeking the other two suspects and any eyewitnesses to the altercation.
  • Media reports and an internal police memo obtained by WGN-TV indicate CTA cameras were working and that video reportedly shows a side door opened and three people pushing the victim, though that footage has not been released publicly.
  • Bickham’s family has held a public gathering, launched a GoFundMe for funeral costs, and called for witnesses and improvements to transit safety as the case proceeds in juvenile court with limited public disclosure.