A woman in Chicago has been left brain dead after being brutally attacked by an eight-time felon, according to police. The 61-year-old woman, who has not been identified, was riding the CTA Red Line on January 4 when she was targeted by two men, one of whom was allegedly Mijawon Johnson, 36, a convicted criminal. As they tried to steal her purse, Johnson allegedly pinned the woman to a seat and repeatedly punched and stomped on her head and stomach, jumping on her with all his weight, prosecutors said.
At the time of the attack, Johnson was on parole for armed robbery and had been to prison six times. He now faces charges including attempted murder, which may be upgraded as the woman is not expected to survive. The incident occurred around 1:30am, with Johnson allegedly captured on surveillance footage approaching the woman on a train car. During the attempted robbery, he flew into a violent frenzy and repeatedly attacked the woman’s head and stomach.
After the attack, he left her for dead on the train. The victim was found by train staff when it arrived at Roosevelt Station, approximately 12 minutes from where the attack occurred. The victim is currently on a ventilator and brain dead, according to reports. Prosecutors said she is not expected to live.
Johnson was identified as the suspect, and a bulletin was sent to local police precincts as fears grew while he remained at large. He was eventually arrested on January 5 when patrol officers caught him on a CTA bus. With seven previous convictions, Johnson now faces charges of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery. He also faces a separate charge for violating an order of protection after reportedly entering a 27-year-old woman’s home despite being ordered to stay away.
The attack has sparked outrage in the community, with many questioning why Johnson was on the streets given his violent criminal history. At the time of the train attack, he was on parole following his release from prison in August. In a previous incident on St. Patrick’s Day in 2021, Johnson mugged an undercover narcotics officer, leading to his arrest. He had previously been sentenced to prison six times between 2007 and 2015, including for aggravated battery of a police officer at a train station.