Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera was fatally shot by her partner during a foot pursuit Thursday night in the city’s Chatham neighborhood, according to Chicago Police Department officials who confirmed the shooting was unintentional.
The incident occurred around 9:50 p.m. on June 5, 2025, when Rivera and officers from the 6th District Tactical Team attempted to conduct an investigatory stop on a person believed to be armed in the 8200 block of South Drexel Avenue. The suspect fled into a nearby apartment building, prompting officers to pursue him inside.
Once inside the building, officers encountered another person armed with a rifle who pointed the weapon at them. During the confrontation, an officer discharged his weapon, and the gunfire unintentionally struck Rivera. Police officials later confirmed that only one officer fired a weapon during the entire incident.
Rivera, 36, suffered a gunshot wound to the back and was transported to University of Chicago Medical Center in a squad car. The vehicle transporting her crashed and caught fire during the journey, requiring officers to transfer her to another vehicle to complete the trip to the hospital. She was pronounced dead at 10:19 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, which ruled her death a homicide.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling addressed reporters early Friday morning outside the hospital, describing Rivera as young, vibrant and a hard worker. He noted that she had confiscated and processed two guns earlier that day prior to the incident. Snelling indicated that “this is the risk that our officers take every single day.”
Rivera had served with the Chicago Police Department for four years and was assigned to the Gresham District tactical team. She was a single mother to a 10-year-old daughter, Bella Medina, whose 11th birthday party was scheduled for the weekend following her mother’s death.
Family members described Rivera as someone who approached her job with care and sensitivity. Her daughter told reporters that Rivera hugged her tighter than usual when leaving for work Thursday, giving her the biggest hug and kiss while telling her that if anything happened, she would always be in her heart.
The suspect who aimed the rifle at officers remains in custody, and authorities continue investigating the circumstances that led to the initial investigatory stop. Three firearms were recovered at the scene, and several individuals were initially taken into custody. Another officer sustained a wrist injury during the incident and was hospitalized in fair condition.
Pastor Daniel Cruz of Faithworld Church, where Rivera had attended services for nearly 20 years, remembered her dedication to her faith and her desire for her daughter to know the faith as well. Cruz expressed complete shock at the news and noted that Rivera’s greatest joy was doing her job as a police officer.
Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke at a press conference, calling on the entire city to keep Rivera’s family and the police department in their prayers. He described her as having served honorably and courageously with a young, energetic and bold approach toward keeping the city safe.
Superintendent Snelling emphasized the emotional toll on the officer who fired the shot, describing him as being in a very tough place and facing unimaginable feelings. The department asked the public to pray for both Rivera’s family and her partner as he faces the loss of his fellow officer.
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, inadvertent or accidental shootings among law enforcement are relatively rare. From 2020 to 2024, only eight of 273 firearms-related officer deaths were categorized as inadvertent or accidental shootings, representing less than three percent of such incidents.
Rivera represents the fifth Chicago police officer shot and killed since 2023. The department continues to review its practices, including training and supervision, though Snelling indicated it is too early to determine if policy changes will result from this incident.
The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation pledged to provide emotional and financial support to Rivera’s family. Commander Mike Tate described her as one of the finest members of the tactical team who will be dearly missed by the entire department and community.
Rivera had told the Sun-Times after graduating from the police academy in October 2021 that she always knew she wanted to be a police officer, describing it as a privilege and her calling to help people in need. Her colleagues remembered her as someone who dreamed of being a police officer since she was a teenager.
