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A suspect is in custody after shooting an Amtrak train conductor in the stomach at the Naperville Metra station, police said.

“Amtrak people crying and they come on the intercom announcing if anyone is a medic or has medical training to come. And he sounded out of breath when he was asking,” said Vickie, a passenger.

Investigators said a man in his 70s reached out of the train’s window and shot the conductor after he stepped off the train Tuesday afternoon. The gunman was held by passengers until police arrived.

“We don’t know any motive at this time or reason why it happened. We know that the conductor stepped out onto the platform and the suspected reached out a window and fired at him,” said Cmdr. Louis Cammiso, Naperville Police Department.

The victim was taken to a local hospital from the station at 105 E. Fourth Avenue, according to Naperville Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Dina. No information was immediately available on the victim’s condition, but police said he was conscious and alert.

A handgun was recovered from the scene.

Amtrak’s Southwest Chief was running about two hours late when it arrived at the Naperville station. It runs from Los Angeles to Chicago. Amtrak prohibits people from carrying loaded weapons onto trains. But passengers say there is little security screening to prevent it.

“We have a police at Amtrak that enables people to carry unloaded firearms to stations, where they can check them into checked baggage and they’re kept separate from the rest of the train in a locked container,” said Marc Magliari, Amtrak spokesperson.

All inbound and outbound trains were temporarily halted during the Tuesday afternoon rush hour.

“Without knowing the intent or motive of the suspect, I think it is very important and could have saved some lives by passengers taking that person and holding him for police,” Cammiso said.

Source: ABC7