Photo by ep_jhu

In a Montgomery County courtroom yesterday, prosecutors recounted a horrific rape that took place aboard a Red Line train last month. It was the first time the public heard about the incident.

In hearings on the Capitol Hill this morning, General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said WMATA didn’t publicize the case because the suspect was caught within hours. “From my perspective, there was no threat to the community because we captured the person,” he told ABC7.

Hours later, he ordered a change in policy, directing Metro Transit Police to notify the public of any violent crime that occurs on the same day, unless it would put an investigation in jeopardy.

Metro GM has directed MTPD to make public notification of any violent crime the same day where doing so will not hinder investigation #wmata

— Metro Transit Police (@MetroTransitPD) May 24, 2016

Currently, Metro reports crimes in a monthly blotter. The rape was included in the May 5 edition, but it came out more than three weeks after the attack, which was not publicized in any other way.

Metro spokesman Richard Jordan said they are still evaluating what kind of system to use to make the daily reports.