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Woman Swings Hammer at Other Riders on CTA Bus, Witnesses Say

By  Wendell Hutson and Josh McGhee | September 16, 2014 3:21pm 

CHATHAM — Witnesses said a woman who argued with other riders on a CTA bus Tuesday morning took out a hammer and swung it, striking another woman in the head.

Khatija Mills, 20, said she boarded a westbound 79th Street bus at Lake Shore Drive around 7 a.m. on her way to Everest College.

She said a woman got on the same bus at Indiana Avenue and began arguing for no apparent reason with other passengers.

"She then began arguing with this boy, who looked like he was on his way to school. They started fighting on the bus and then got off the bus fighting," Mills told DNAinfo.com Chicago.

Both of them got back on the bus, she said.

"That's when she took out a hammer and started swinging and hit me in the head," said Mills, after police responded to the incident just west of Indiana. Mills suffered minor injuries.

Another witness, Keith West, said the woman also swung the hammer at others on the bus.

"This woman got on the bus acting crazy and before I knew it she was swinging a hammer at everyone," West said.

A police officer at the scene could be seen holding a hammer.

Chicago police confirmed there was a physical altercation on the bus but said preliminary reports did not indicate a weapon was used.

They said a 53-year-old woman, who police declined to name, was taken to Jackson Park Hospital to be examined. A police source said the woman was suffering a "mental disturbance" and was "clearly in need of mental help."

Mills was also taken to Jackson Park Hospital, where she was treated for minor injuries, including bruising and swelling.

Catherine Hosinski, a spokeswoman for the CTA, said it was notified at 7:45 a.m. about "a disturbance on the bus with passengers arguing, and a rider did request medical attention after being hit in the head."

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