Chicago man busted with gun after smoking blunt at CTA Red Line station: officials

CHICAGO - A man who was smoking weed at a CTA Red Line station was found with a loaded gun earlier this month on Chicago's South Side, officials said.

Red Line arrest

What we know:

Joseph Wright, 48, was arrested after police saw him smoking a blunt around 11 p.m. on May 12 at the 79th Street station, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

While searching Wright, officers found a loaded gun in his waistband. The next morning, Wright was charged with possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, felon in possession of a weapon and possession of a firearm on public transportation.

Wright was also charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, possession of ammunition without a valid FOID and possession of cannabis.

Wright was taken to Cook County Jail after his detention hearing.

CTA crime

Dig deeper:

The arrest came days before Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke announced a new CTA crime task force that includes the FBI, ATF and DEA.

"There are two ways to deter crime: the likelihood of being caught and the likelihood of being punished," Burke said. "By working with law enforcement we are upping the likelihood in both scenarios. That's what I want to send to the write-in public, that we have heard you. We share your concerns and we are doing everything we possibly can to make this the safest big city in America. And that starts with our transit system."

Violent crime on the CTA is down 22% compared to this time last year, according to figures Burke cited at the Monday news conference.