A 37-year-old Chicago man has been ordered held in custody in connection with the fatal stabbing of Chicago Transit Authority employee Julian Mobley at the Damen Green Line station, as details emerge about the confrontation that led to the 41-year-old janitor’s death.
Chevazz Campbell, who lives in Chicago’s Kenwood neighborhood, faces charges including first-degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery and weapons offenses. He also faces charges related to allegedly carrying a weapon on CTA property and entering the transit system without paying the required fare.
A judge ordered Campbell detained Sunday in Cook County Criminal Court.
The fatal incident happened Thursday afternoon, Oct. 8, at the Damen Green Line station on Chicago’s Near West Side. Mobley was working when he became involved in a confrontation with Campbell, according to prosecutors.
What Happened at the Damen Green Line Station?
Prosecutors allege Campbell entered the station shortly before 3 p.m. carrying a gray Adidas duffel bag and a smaller black crossbody bag.
He approached the customer service kiosk, where another CTA employee was working. According to the allegations presented in court, Campbell attempted to get over an accessible fare gate despite being warned by the employee. He then argued with the worker, using racial slurs, prosecutors said.
The employee remained inside the kiosk during the confrontation.
Mobley, who was sweeping the station, noticed the argument and spoke with Campbell as he moved toward the train platform. The two men subsequently became involved in a dispute, according to prosecutors.
Campbell eventually left the station before returning to the interior mezzanine.
Investigators allege surveillance footage captured Campbell taking an item from his crossbody bag and spraying a chemical substance into Mobley’s face twice.
Mobley’s CTA identification card and lanyard fell to the floor during the encounter. He ran from the area, but prosecutors allege Campbell pursued him and pulled a knife from his bag.
Campbell allegedly stabbed Mobley in the neck.
During the incident, Mobley’s work phone fell to the ground, and Campbell allegedly picked it up. Prosecutors said Mobley, who was bleeding heavily, made his way into a janitor’s closet while Campbell collected personal items left behind.
Mobley Dies After Being Taken to Hospital
Chicago firefighters responding to the scene found Mobley unconscious inside the janitor’s closet.
He was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators allege Campbell fled into a nearby alley after the stabbing. Prosecutors said he discarded Mobley’s identification card, lanyard and phone into a storm drain before entering a nearby convenience store.
Inside the store, Campbell allegedly requested a bag and transferred items from his gray duffel bag into it. He also reportedly removed his jacket and turned it inside out.
According to prosecutors, Campbell told the store owner he had been involved in a fight near Damen and Hoyne. He then asked the owner to keep the duffel bag and lend him a hat. Police later recovered the bag from the store.
The store owner, who had known Campbell as a customer for more than a decade, subsequently identified him during a police lineup and through surveillance images, prosecutors said. A CTA employee also identified Campbell.
Campbell Turned Himself In
Campbell surrendered at Chicago’s Englewood police district on Friday night, according to authorities.
Police said he indicated during the process that he was the person who had stabbed Mobley earlier that day. He reportedly told officers that he had gone home, changed clothes and removed jewelry before turning himself in.
Police also documented statements captured on body-worn camera footage in which Campbell allegedly said he had “really f***** up” and “crashed out.”
The allegations have not been tested at trial, and Campbell is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Questions Raised About Electronic Monitoring
The case has also drawn attention to Campbell’s status before the fatal attack.
Prosecutors said he was wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet at the time because of two earlier felony cases. He also had two active arrest warrants when Mobley was killed, according to the information presented in court.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen Burke and Pennie McCoach, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308, issued a joint statement Sunday criticizing the county’s electronic monitoring system.
They said Campbell had repeatedly violated probation-related restrictions, including curfew requirements, and argued that those violations had not been adequately addressed.
According to their statement, prosecutors had filed multiple petitions alleging probation violations before the fatal stabbing. They said the case highlighted concerns about oversight and enforcement of electronic monitoring requirements.
Campbell also has a criminal history that includes a prison sentence stemming from a 2018 stabbing, according to published court reporting.
The latest case has renewed concerns about the safety of workers who interact with the public throughout Chicago’s transit system.
Mobley Leaves Behind His Family
Beyond the criminal charges and questions surrounding electronic monitoring, Mobley’s death has left his family facing the loss of a husband and father.
His 14-year-old daughter shared her grief on TikTok after the stabbing, describing how difficult it was to accept that her father would not be there to watch her or her younger brother grow up.
She spoke about the conversations they would never have and the years her family had expected to share with him.
Mobley had worked for the CTA since 2018 and was remembered by colleagues and union representatives as a valued member of the transit workforce.
His death has prompted renewed calls from transit labor representatives for stronger protections for employees working at stations and other public-facing locations.
What Happens Next in the Case?
Campbell faces multiple charges stemming from Mobley’s death, including first-degree murder and felony murder. The armed robbery and weapons-related allegations are also part of the case.
His detention means he will remain in custody while the criminal proceedings continue, subject to further court orders.
The case is expected to remain under scrutiny as prosecutors pursue the charges and questions continue about the circumstances leading up to the fatal encounter.
For Mobley’s family and fellow CTA workers, the proceedings follow a devastating loss that has brought renewed attention to employee safety and the enforcement of electronic monitoring restrictions in Cook County.
