Stories by Matt Masterson

Amid a double-digit uptick in violent crime along Chicago Transit Authority train and bus lines this year, city officials say they’ll be adding additional officers and security guards on trains and buses around the city.

“I don’t anticipate, you know, more serious consequences in terms of work stoppages,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said, “but we will continue to work together because we have it in both our best interests to keep our community safe.”

A federal judge last week sentenced Diego Vargas after he pleaded guilty to maliciously attempting to damage and destroy a building by means of an explosive device.

Former state Sen. Tom Cullerton pleaded guilty to embezzlement Tuesday morning, more than two years after he was charged with fraudulently receiving salary and benefits from a labor union despite doing “little or no work.”

The school district said it will move to a mask-optional model for all staff and across all grade levels on March 14.

Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) teams — which are comprised of police officers trained in crisis intervention, a mental health professional and a paramedic — fielded 134 separate mental health crisis calls between Sept.13, 2021 and Wednesday, according to new city data.

Two Chicago police officers are in fair condition after being shot outside a West Garfield Park restaurant.

In his first public comments since the bombshell indictment was announced, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he cooperated fully with federal investigators and denied ever having conversations about appointing disgraced former Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis to a state position.

Michael Madigan, who served as speaker of the Illinois House for 36 years, led a criminal enterprise disguised as a political organization that was devoted to enriching himself and his associates, prosecutors alleged Wednesday.

“Another child has become the victim of senseless gun violence and it must stop,” the Chicago Police Department said in a tweet Wednesday.

Dennis Haggerty, 45, of Burr Ridge, pleaded guilty before a federal judge in Chicago to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering after taking millions from an Iowa hospital in exchange for personal protective equipment he never provided.

There were 43 homicides in Chicago last month, bringing the 2022 total up to 92 through the end of February, according to data published Tuesday by the Chicago Police Department.

Fourteen people were shot in 12 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday, according to the Chicago Police Department.

Though cameras weren’t allowed during Smollett's trial late last year, Cook County Judge James Linn issued an order Friday allowing media organizations to film inside his courtroom during the actor's upcoming March 10 sentencing.

Ricco Carrasco was arrested this week and charged with aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated assault stemming from the Feb. 18 shooting. Cook County prosecutors on Thursday said they’re also charging him with attempted murder.

Despite a safety agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union that requires universal masking in schools until the end of the academic year, CPS officials on Wednesday said there may come a time sooner in which masks will not be mandatory.

The Chicago Police Department’s failure to implement a foot pursuit policy is to blame for the shooting death of Anthony Alvarez by an officer last spring, his family has claimed in a new lawsuit.

Last month, there were more than 700 special education students who had still not been routed onto a bus during the current academic year. But as of this week, each one of those children are now receiving their legally mandated transportation from the district.

Relatives of Irene Chavez filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the city and nearly a dozen Chicago police officers, claiming they ignored Chavez’s cries for help and refused to accommodate her mental health crisis following a December arrest.

According to the Chicago Police Department, 29 people were shot in 26 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Daron Hardy, 25, was denied bail during a court hearing Monday afternoon following his arrest on a charge of first-degree murder stemming from the killing of his brother, 26-year-old Darnell Hardy.

Hader Garcia, 18, was arrested and charged this week with one count of first-degree murder stemming from the fatal Dec. 18 shooting of 36-year-old ​​Richard Robinette. Garcia was denied bail during a hearing Friday afternoon.

Joseph Igartua, 37, has been charged with one count of reckless discharge of a weapon and three counts of stalking. All of those charges are felonies and Igartua was ordered held without bail during a hearing Thursday.

Christopher Hillas, 43, was charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct following an incident in which he was allegedly captured on body camera video punching a man multiple times during a pat down on Christmas Eve.

Tremell Neloms, 18, was denied bail during a hearing Thursday after he was charged with first-degree murder in the fatal Jan. 18 shooting of Rauner College Prep freshman Caleb Westbrooks.

Anthony Wilson, 54, was held without bail during a hearing Wednesday afternoon following his arrest on one charge of attempted first-degree murder in the March 2019 shooting of a 57-year-old woman.