Lifelong Chicagoan speaks out after teens attack him on CTA train: 'a gauntlet of fists'

CHICAGO - A 63-year-old man was attacked by a group of more than a dozen teenagers on the Orange Line train in downtown Chicago on Monday night, he told FOX 32.

The victim, Michael Manning, a lifelong Chicagoan, said he was keeping to himself after a 12-hour workday and looking forward to getting home when the group targeted him.

"This was surreal. I think I was just so shocked. I think I kind of went numb," Manning said.

He recounted that it was after 11 p.m. when the group boarded the train at the LaSalle/Van Buren stop.

"I knew right away that this was not going to go well, no matter what I said or did," Manning said. "I stood up, and I’m 6’4", and I guess that was not a good move because I immediately got punched in the back of the head, which sent me forward into the group. They were like, ‘Oh, you're trying to start something with us!’ Then it was like I was literally running through a gauntlet of fists."

Manning said the group consisted of more than a dozen boys and girls.

"They just pounded on me, and I knew I had to get off this car to, like, not die," he explained.

He managed to get off one stop later at Quincy, but the group followed and continued the assault. They left him bloodied on the platform, stealing only a few of his belongings before jumping back on the train.

Manning said it could have been much worse and hopes future victims manage to escape as he did.

"I don't understand how you can have this type of lawlessness and wanton disrespect, disregard for basic humanity. And there's no checks and balances anywhere," Manning said.

He added that he won’t be taking the train anytime soon but is working with Chicago police officers who are trying to track down footage of the assailants. The CTA is also investigating the incident.