A Chicago man is accused of carrying a machete on a CTA train just two days after a judge released him to await trial on an earlier machete arrest, and questions are being raised about why he wasn’t charged with a more serious charge the first time, which could have kept him detained from the start.
Ronald Reed, 31, was taken into custody at the Clark-Lake station around 2:51 p.m. on July 8 after authorities discovered he was carrying a machete, according to a Chicago Police Department report. A police official stated that cops stopped Reed for having an open can of alcohol before discovering the weapon.
However, prosecutors opted not to prosecute him for a felony.
“After a thorough review, we concluded that the evidence was insufficient to support felony charges related to the incident on July 8, 2026,” a spokeswoman for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office stated. “The CCSAO remains committed to making all charging decisions based on the evidence and the law.”
According to court records, Reed was ticketed with ordinance violations for possessing a weapon and alcohol on the CTA, as well as misdemeanor counts for impeding police. None of them are detainable under the SAFE-T Act, and Reed was freed after appearing in court on July 9, according to documents.
Two days later, at around 2:15 p.m. on July 11, Cook County Sheriff’s officers observed Reed holding an open can of beer on a Green Line train near the Austin station, according to the sheriff’s office.
Officers informed Reed that drinking alcohol on the train was against CTA guidelines and arrested him for disorderly conduct, according to the sheriff’s office. During a search, authorities allegedly discovered an 18-inch machete in a sling on Reed’s back, as well as a knife with a 5-inch serrated blade in a holster, according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office released body camera video that illustrates how the finding took place.
“Do you have anything on you that I should know about?” an officer asks Reed.
“I’ve got a machete,” Reed says.
“Where’s your machete?” The inquisitive officer responds.
“It’s in my back.”
This time, Reed was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, which is a detainable felony. Judge Deidre Dyer ordered him detained until trial.
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