Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera, killed in Chatham, may have been struck by fellow officer's gunfire, sources say

CBS News

a day ago

The Chicago police officer shot and killed Thursday night in Chatham may have been struck by a fellow officer's bullet, sources told CBS News Chicago.
Officer Krystal Rivera was among officers on a tactical team who were on patrol in the South Side neighborhood when they attempted to conduct an investigatory stop in the 8220 block of South Drexel Avenue just before 10 p.m. Police said as the officers approached, the suspect ran into a nearby apartment and the officers gave chase.
Sources said RIvera and her partner followed the suspect to the second floor of the apartment building, into a home.
Chicago Police Department Supt. Larry Snelling said that when the officers got into that apartment, they were confronted with a second person who pointed a rifle at them.
"At some point an officer discharged a weapon," Snelling said.
Rivera was struck by gunfire and rushed to the hospital by her fellow officers but, on the way, their vehicle caught fire due to a mechanical issue. Rivera had to be put in another vehicle, which took her to University of Chicago Medical Center, where she died.
"There was some type of malfunction in that vehicle that caught fire, but assisting officers came in and she was transferred to another vehicle and driven to the hospital," Snelling said.
At an early morning news conference, reporters asked Snelling for more information about what happened when officers entered the apartment and for clarification about whether there was an exchange of gunfire.
"So, here's the deal. We won't know that until the search warrant is served and we're able to go through that apartment and collect more evidence. The evidence that we collect usually tells us and it gives us a story of what occurred in there," Snelling responded. "So, until we have all of that information, we can't rely on just one source at this time. So, it's still in its preliminary stages, so until we have that information, we can't really comment on that right now."
Snelling said three weapons were recovered at the scene but in their news release, there is no mention of an offender firing a weapon. Police have not said any other weapon was fired other than that of an officer.
The 36-year-old was a four-year veteran of the department and a mother. Supt. Larry Snelling described her as vibrant and fearless, saying she showed up to work every day ready to be bold and work hard, and was dedicating to protecting others.
Several people were taken into custody after the shooting, including one person believed to have been the one with the rifle inside the apartment. No charges have yet been announced.
The Chicago Office of Police Accountability is investigating the shooting.
This is the second police officer from the 6th District killed recently in Chatham. In November 2024, Officer Enrique Martinez was shot and killed during a traffic stop near 80th and Ingleside.
Body cam, bullet will be at center of investigation, experts say
A bullet and body camera footage will likely be at the center of the investigation into how Officer Rivera died, experts say.
CBS News Chicago Legal Analyst Irv Miller said the bullet that struck Rivera will reveal what happened.
"They'll be able to determine, by checking out the bullet, that when the officer was shot, what gun that come from," he said. "And that will determine whether or not it was the person with the rifle or perhaps it was one of the officers."
Former Chicago Police Board president Gihan Foreman said that COPA will also review all of the available evidence for their investigation, including conducting interviews and obtaining body camera video if possible to determine how officers conducted the investigatory stop.
"Was the body cam on? Did they announce their arrival?" Foreman said.
The body camera video could be key in the investigation, as it could show where the suspect was and what he was doing at the time Rivera and her partner entered the apartment.
"For example, did he have a gun in his hand? Was it raised?" said Foreman.