CHICAGO — A Chicago police officer assigned to the 18th District was found fatally shot inside the station where she worked, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
The 34-year-old woman, who served in the department’s Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) unit, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, law enforcement sources told the Chicago Sun-Times. She was discovered around 2:30 a.m. in a first-floor bathroom of the station at 1160 N. Larrabee St.
Colleagues described her as compassionate and grounded — someone who made others feel heard.
“She was a very warm and welcoming person,” a fellow officer told the Sun-Times. “When you talked with her, you just had that comfortable feeling like you know she actually listened and cared. She also loved her family very much and talked about how proud she was of her son.”
Her death has left colleagues across the department stunned and grieving.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling acknowledged the emotional toll in a memo sent to officers just hours after the incident.
“This was undoubtedly a difficult scene for her fellow officers within the district,” Snelling wrote. “As we support her family and loved ones, we must also support our fellow members who worked alongside her in the 18th District.”
Officers at the station called for help as soon as they discovered her.
“We have an emergency at the station — we need an ambulance here immediately,” one officer told a dispatcher, according to scanner audio reported by the Sun-Times. When asked for details, the officer responded, “GSW.”
A few moments later, he clarified: “This is not an active shooter — we have an officer down here. There’s no offender right now. Seems self-inflicted.”
She was taken from the station on a stretcher, ABC7 Chicago reported, and later pronounced dead.
The 18th District station remained closed to the public Thursday morning as detectives continued their investigation. Red crime scene tape was visible outside the building, wrapped around a Divvy bike rack. A sign on the front door directed community members to nearby stations for assistance.
In a public statement, CPD called on the city to keep the officer’s family and colleagues in their prayers.
“Our officers are human, and we cannot forget that they face the same challenges as everyone else while balancing the difficulties that come with being a police officer,” the statement read. “We ask the public to keep this officer’s family and her fellow officers in your prayers as we grieve this unimaginable loss.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson echoed that sentiment in a written statement.
“Our hearts are shattered and broken over this tragedy,” Johnson said. “Every single day, our officers witness traumatic scenes, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the support they need to navigate that reality.”
Her name has not been released.
This loss marks another difficult moment for a department still healing from recent tragedies. In the memo, Supt. Snelling urged officers to lean on each other — and not to carry their grief alone.
“Grief affects each of us in different ways, and I ask that you each take the time to check in with one another today,” he wrote, adding that peer support is available.
