15-year-old waited for one train to pass, but a second killed her, Illinois cops say

A 15-year-old girl was killed Wednesday when she was struck by a train after waiting for another one to pass, according to Illinois police.

Police in Galesburg responded around 6:30 p.m. to a report of a person struck by a train, according to a news release, and found a person identified as Katie Ackerson dead in a nearby drainage ditch.

Through its investigation, officers determined Ackerson walked around lowered railroad gates after a train passed, police said. When she walked onto the second set of tracks, another train that was passing struck her.

Police Chief Russell Idle said in a statement the department is “saddened by this horrific tragedy.”

“There are no words that can express the sympathy of this community to the parents and family of this young person who was taken from us way too soon,” Idle said.

Galesburg is located about 50 miles northwest of the University of Illinois.

This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 9:28 AM with the headline "15-year-old waited for one train to pass, but a second killed her, Illinois cops say."