A man charged with a horrific attack on a woman aboard a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train will remain in jail, as ordered by a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Lawrence Reed is accused of pouring gasoline on a woman and igniting it while on a CTA Blue Line train.

Judge Laura McNally ruled that Reed will stay in custody until his next court appearance, citing the potential danger he poses to the community as a key factor in her decision.

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In a recent court session, Reed chose once more to forgo legal representation, opting instead to defend himself against the charges.

During the proceedings, Reed reviewed images from CTA security cameras that purportedly captured the moment of the attack, which took place on a Monday night.

RELATED: Suspect in CTA Blue Line attack has long criminal history; victim’s family releases statement

The allegations state that Reed filled a bottle with gasoline at a nearby station just 20 minutes before the incident and used it to set the 26-year-old woman on fire.

The victim was sitting alone, looking at her phone, when she was attacked at random.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Bond says the woman tried to get away but was cornered by Reed at the end of the train and set on fire again. While in police custody, Bond says Reed yelled, ‘Burn b****’ and ‘Burn alive b****’”

She is still being treated at a hospital for severe burns.

Reed, meanwhile, has a lengthy criminal record, with at least 14 criminal cases in Cook County, records show. He has 72 arrests, 15 since 2016, eight felony convictions, seven misdemeanors, spending 32 years in and out of the criminal justice system, prosecutors say. The dozens of arrests came with a long list of mug shots for crimes ranging from driving on a suspended license to battery. In 2020, he was sentenced to mental health probation for also setting a fire outside the Thompson Center.

Now he’s charged with committing an act of terrorism on a mass transportation system. If convicted of the crime, it’s a charge that has never been applied in Chicago and carries with it a possible life sentence.

“This is an absolute failure of our criminal justice and mental health institutions,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.

On Thursday, Mayor Johnson called the case an isolated incident on the CTA, but certainly not an isolated case of crime for Reed, given his lengthy record.

Prior to the Blue Line arrest, Reed was arrested in August for attacking a social worker at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, while Reed was at psychiatric patient. A Cook County judge released him on electronic monitor under strong objections from the State’s Attorney’s office. The Safe-T Act gives judges that discretion.

“It is the judgment of those elected judges that ultimately determine in most cases whether somebody is released or not,” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said.

Requesting detainment Friday, federal prosecutors said Reed has been given too many chances.

Defending himself, Reed also asked to be detained. He told Judge McNally he doesn’t feel safe out in the public, before asking her to making sure he gets to eat in custody.

Cook County Health shared the following statement from the victim’s family with ABC7 Thursday evening:
“We would like to thank everyone for their prayers and well-wishes as our daughter receives care for injuries sustained earlier this week. We are also grateful for the excellent care and support of the burn team at Stroger Hospital. We will not be providing updates at this time, and ask for her – and our – privacy as we focus our attention on her and her recovery. Thank you.”