Earlier this week, a Chicago police officer was fatally shot by another officer while pursuing a suspect.
According to a statement from the Chicago Police Department (CPD), an officer, identified by local media outlets as 36-year-old Krystal Rivera, and her partner were on patrol in the city’s Chatham neighborhood just before 10 p.m. local time on Thursday, June 5, when they attempted to stop a man who fled on foot into a nearby home.
As they pursued the man, Rivera and her partner, who has not been identified, were confronted by another suspect wielding a rifle, according to Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling.
“The officers followed,” Snelling told ABC7. “They were met in that apartment by a second person wielding a rifle aimed at the officers. At some point, an officer discharged his weapon. An officer was struck; she was taken to the hospital, where she later died from her injuries.”
ABC 7 also reported that a police squad car was driving Rivera to the hospital when it crashed, forcing officers to wait for another vehicle to arrive and take her the rest of the way.
“There was some type of malfunction in that vehicle that caught fire,” Snelling explained to the Sun-Times. “But assisting officers came in and she was transferred to another vehicle and then driven to the hospital.”
According to the Sun-Times, the officer was the only one to fire a weapon, and the “gunfire unintentionally struck Officer Rivera,” police said.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed on June 6 that Rivera died of a gunshot wound to the back, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to reports.
According to police, both the second suspect, who was allegedly armed, and the first suspect were apprehended, and another officer was injured in the altercation.
According to the CPD, Rivera was a single mother of a 10-year-old daughter who had graduated from the police academy in 2021.
“She was protecting lives and she was a hero and she lost her life tragically doing the job she loved,” Snelling told the media. “She wanted to make Chicago a better place, she wanted to make it safer, and we thank her for that.”
Rivera’s mother, Yolanda, and daughter Bella spoke to the Sun-Times about her life, describing her as a kind person who was passionate about her work.
“When she said bye, it’s like she had a feeling,” the 10-year-old explained to the outlet. “She gave me the biggest hug, biggest kiss, and she said, ‘If anything happens, I’m always right here,’ in my heart.”
“If you want to think of a good person, a great person, as an example you’ll think of her,” according to her.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is also investigating the incident, according to the police statement. ABC 7 reported that no charges had been filed.
According to the Sun-Times, Snelling informed reporters on June 7 that the investigation is still ongoing and that the department is “always” reviewing its training and supervision policies.
“Until we’ve had the opportunity to really sit down and work these things out, gathering all the information, it will be at that time that we determine what needs to be done to move forward,” according to him.
“Tonight, the entire city of Chicago is grieving and mourning together over this tragic loss of one of Chicago’s finest,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said of the incident, according to WTTW. “Her young, energetic and bold approach toward keeping us safe is the memory we will honor.”
