CTA worker arrested on weapons charges after deadly shootout by Blue Line stop near University of Illinois Chicago
A CTA employee is facing felony weapons charges after a deadly shootout near the UIC-Halsted stop on the Blue Line over the weekend.
Chicago police said 24-year-old Luther Hopkins III, of Calumet City, is charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon in the shootout that killed 61-year-old John Flemister.
Hopkins is a customer service assistant for the Chicago Transit Authority, according to the agency's employee salary list. This information was confirmed after days of reaching the CTA without a response.
In a foyer, prosecutors from the Cook County State's Attorney's office said Flemister got off a Blue Line train at the UIC-Halsted stop at 5:28 p.m. Saturday, with a black duffel bag around his right shoulder. He stood on the platform for about 15 minutes, then left and went upstairs to street level, prosecutors said.
In the station vestibule at Peoria Street, Flemister approached Hopkins, who was working in the office next to the turnstiles at the street-level entrance to the station as a CTA customer service attendant, prosecutors said. Hopkins was sitting in a hair inside an enclosed office with glass windows, prosecutors said.
Flemister and Hopkins talked briefly, and Flemister then exited onto the Peoria Street pedestrian bridge over the Eisenhower Expressway. The UIC-Halsted stop has entrances/exits at both Halsted and Peoria streets.
Hopkins stayed where he was, prosecutors said. He had a black book bag on the desk in the office, prosecutors said.
The Blue Line was undergoing construction on Saturday, so the route for the Blue Line went only from the O'Hare terminal to UIC Halsted and did not keep going west along the Eisenhower Expressway. There was a passenger shuttle available at the Halsted Street entrance/exit to the station, prosecutors said.
After a few minutes, Flemister walked back into the Peoria Street station vestibule and approached Hopkins, who was still in the enclosed office, prosecutors said. Flemister appeared agitated and was standing near the office door with his duffel bag around his shoulder, prosecutors said.
Hopkins opened up the office door slightly, while Flemister's hand was near the front part of the duffel bag, prosecutors said. Flemister appeared to lift an object with his right hand in the front of the duffel bag that was consistent with a handgun, prosecutors said.
Flemister then left and went onto the Peoria Street walkway again, while Hopkins sat in the office, prosecutors said.
Flemister then entered the vestibule yet again and started talking to Hopkins, with his hand still near his duffel bag and appearing to clutch an object in it, prosecutors said. Flemister tried to go back through the turnstile, but could not, prosecutors said.
Hopkins then opened the door to his office and opened a gate so Flemister could enter the station, prosecutors said. Flemister went through the gate and toward the stairs to the platform, prosecutors said.
Hopkins closed the gate, grabbed his bookbag, and yelled at Flemister, prosecutors said. Flemister turned around before going down the stairs and exchanged words with Hopkins, prosecutors said.
Flemister then walked back toward Hopkins, but went back out onto the Peoria Street walkway, prosecutors said. Hopkins was carrying his bookbag with him as he also left the station vestibule and followed Flemister out, prosecutors said.
Flemister and Hopkins yelled at each other on the pedestrian bridge, prosecutors said. Two CTA security officers came by and Flemister talked briefly with them, prosecutors said.
Another CTA employee also walked past Flemister and Hopkins, and tried to get Hopkins to calm down and take a walk, prosecutors said. Yet Flemister and Hopkins kept yelling at each other, prosecutors said.
Flemister than walked to the end of the pedestrian walkway where Hopkins and the other CTA employee were standing, prosecutors said. Flemister was still holding the duffel bag, and the other CTA employee observed that Flemister seemed to be clutching a gun, prosecutors said.
The other CTA employee tried to de-escalate the situation, but Flemister and Hopkins kept yelling at each other, prosecutors said. Hopkins threatened to "f**k [Flemister] up, while Flemister told Hopkins he was ex-military and would kill him, prosecutors said.
Flemister took a few steps back, then walked up to Hopkins, facing him at arms-length, prosecutors said. Flemister was still clutching the gun in the duffel bag, as observed by the other CTA employee, prosecutors said.
Hopkins then took two small steps back, took out a gun from his book bag, and shot Flemister, prosecutors said. As Flemister fell to the ground, it turned out he too indeed had a gun in his hand, prosecutors said.
Flemister began firing at Hopkins while on the ground, prosecutors said. Hopkins then ran back toward the direction of the station entrance, stopped, and fired more shots at Hopkins, prosecutors said.
Flemister was shot multiple times, and was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
Prosecutors did not specify what the two men were quarreling and yelling about at any point.
A judge on Tuesday said Hopkins acted in self-defense.
Flemister's family questions official account of events
On Tuesday, Flemister's family called for more transparency.
"One of his coworkers called me and they said, 'Hey Sabrina, did you hear about your uncle John passing?'" said Flemister's niece, Sabrina Holton, "and I said, 'No!'"
Flemister was on his way home from work when he was killed in what police called a shootout.
"He fought in the Vietnam War. He'd been fighting for our country," said Holton. "He finally got to the point where he's living in the West Loop, he's living comfortably."
Holton said her uncle was a veteran and a family man, and worked as a doorman at a West Loop condo building — where Holton said residents adored him.
The residents hosted a vigil in Flemister's honor this week.
"They set that vigil up. We didn't set that vigil up," Holton said. "They're the ones that went that extra mile."
Holton said Flemister's family does not understand why CTA spokespeople have not said a word.
"I didn't know that CTA station agents, or whatever they're called, were armed," Holton said.
Holton also said Flemister's family does not believe the police description of the deadly shooting. She said the police report said her uncle, a Firearm Owners Identification Card and concealed carry permit holder, pulled out his weapon first after being confronted for not paying a toll.
Speaking before a judge called the shooting self-defense, Flemister's family is demanding transparency from the city and CTA.
"The story don't add up," Holton said. "There's been a lot of stories, and we want them to release the footage."
The judge on Tuesday ordered Hopkins to have no contact with Flemister's family or the CTA — understanding that Hopkins works for the CTA. Prosecutors said they talked to CTA attorneys, who support the no-contact order.
The judge also ordered Hopkins to surrender his guns and FOID card within 24 hours.
CTA officials have not responded to questions from CBS News Chicago regarding the shooting.
