Violence prevention advocates calling for action after Southwest Side CTA attack

Violence prevention advocates plan to speak out against the latest attack on a Chicago Transit Authority bus driver on the city's southwest side.

Video of the incident was shared earlier this week, showing a man holding a female bus driver at gunpoint.

In the video, Quentin Lewis, 36, was seen threatening passengers and employees on that CTA bus Tuesday night.

He held the bus driver at gunpoint, forcing her to drive through red lights. She was eventually able to escape through a window. 

Lewis, who has a long criminal history, was arrested and charged with kidnapping along with several other felonies. He appeared at a detention hearing on Thursday, where he was ordered held.

The Violence Interrupters group says they're calling on not only law enforcement, but also elected officials and CTA leaders to have a broader conversation about how they can come together to better protect transit employees and passengers.

CTA union leaders this week told CBS News Chicago that the bus driver is recovering, but more needs to be done to prevent things like this from happening in the first place.

"She's not doing good. She's taking this very hard mentally," said Keith Hill with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241. "Help us fight for safety. Help us fight these very same politicians that are telling us crime is down, and we know it's not because it's on our system."

Violence prevention advocates plan to hold a news conference near where the attack occurred on 55th and Pulaski. They're asking anyone with a stake in public safety to join their conversation.