Almost Vigilantes

This seems to be becoming a trend:

• Witnesses intervened after a convicted felon attacked and sexually abused a woman aboard a CTA bus on the Near West Side this week, Chicago police said. Morris Love, 36, is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing Sunday afternoon in connection with the case.

  Shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, a 35-year-old woman was riding the bus in the 1700 block of West Roosevelt Road when Love sat down next to her, police said. The woman later told police she felt uncomfortable and stood up to move away, but Love grabbed her, held her down, and sexually abused her on the bus, according to police. Other passengers intervened and freed her from Love, police said.

  Love then followed the woman off the bus, stole her property, and tried to grab her again, according to police. She was able to get away. Witnesses gave police a description of the attacker, and patrol officers located Love nearby. CTA surveillance video and statements from the victim and witnesses played key roles in the investigation, police said.

While it's good to see citizens becoming more involved in standing up to criminals instead of ignoring it or worse, filming it to stream it somewhere else, what we really need is a concerted push for "witnesses" to start beating the crap out of criminals. Like the other week where two "witnesses" tossed an assailant onto the El tracks and then followed him down to discourage his unlawful behavior to the point that the offender had to be carted off by an ambulance.

THAT is a lesson that just might take hold.