The South Shore community is grieving and demanding answers after a woman was struck and killed by a CTA bus on Wednesday morning. Authorities have identified the victim as Tracy Frasure, whose life ended tragically in an incident that has drawn outrage, heartbreak, and calls for greater accountability from transit officials. The deadly collision happened just before 8 a.m. in the 7000-block of South South Shore Drive, a busy stretch where commuters often gather to catch morning buses.
According to Chicago police, the bus had been stopped when it began moving again, and Tracy appeared to lose her footing. In those brief moments, she fell, and the bus collided with her. But what witnesses describe next has caused widespread concern. Several people said the bus continued to drive away after striking her, even as passengers tried to alert the driver. A witness, Wayne Foster, said he heard a noise that sounded “like branches hitting the glass” just before he realized something terrible had happened.
Foster said he was riding the No. 26 bus when he saw Tracy knocking on the door, trying to board near 70th Street and South Shore Drive. He recalled that passengers began shouting that a woman was on the ground. “The driver just said, ‘Oh, (expletive),’ and kept driving,” Foster stated, still shaken as he recounted the moment. Stunned and horrified, he got off the bus and ran toward Tracy, hoping to help, but it was already too late. The scene left him emotionally overwhelmed, forcing him to abandon his plans for the day.
“This is someone’s daughter, someone’s child,” Foster said as he struggled with the weight of what he witnessed. “Someone’s entire world is going to be shattered today.” His grief echoed the shock felt by many in the community, who are now grappling not only with the loss of a life but also with questions about how such an incident could occur—and whether more could have been done to prevent it.
The CTA confirmed that it received reports of an “interaction” between a #26 bus and a pedestrian at 69th and South Shore, but did not directly address the allegations that the driver fled the scene. The lack of immediate clarity has left many demanding transparency as the investigation continues. For witnesses like Foster, honesty and accountability are the least the city owes Tracy’s grieving family.
As police and CTA officials review evidence, the South Shore community is left mourning the tragic loss of Tracy Frasure—a woman whose life was cut short in moments that should never have unfolded the way they did. Her death leaves a painful void, and residents are calling for answers, compassion, and meaningful steps to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.
