CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio) — A Chicago police officer who was killed during a tactical operation in Chatham Thursday night was unintentionally shot by a fellow officer, officials confirmed late Friday.
Officer Krystal Rivera, 36, a four-year veteran of the department and mother, was part of a tactical team that attempted an investigatory stop just before 10 p.m. in the 8200 block of South Drexel Avenue. Police say the suspect fled into a nearby apartment, prompting a chase.
Inside the apartment, officers encountered a second individual who allegedly pointed a rifle at them. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said an officer discharged his weapon during that encounter. A preliminary investigation later revealed that the only shots fired came from that officer, fatally striking Rivera in the back.
Rivera was rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she died. An autopsy confirmed she died from a gunshot wound to the back.
Several people were taken into custody from the apartment, including the person who allegedly aimed the rifle. That individual remains in custody as detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attempted stop and shooting. No charges have been filed as of Saturday.
In a statement, police asked the public to keep Rivera’s family and her grieving partner in their prayers. “Though her loss weighs heavy on our department, we will continue to do all we can to protect our city in memory of Officer Rivera and her sacrifice,” the statement read.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is also reviewing the case.
Despite a day marked by tragedy, Superintendent Snelling joined Mayor Brandon Johnson at the 8th annual “We Walk for Her March” in Bronzeville on Friday night, honoring missing Black and Brown women in Chicago.
“She gave her life for the people who are out here today,” Snelling said. “She wanted justice for the people you see standing and marching. That’s who she was.”
Rivera was remembered as a bold and fearless officer dedicated to taking illegal guns off the streets and protecting the community she served.