In a troubling incident at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Lincoln Square, a robbery suspect undergoing a medical assessment shot two Chicago police officers. The suspect managed to acquire an additional firearm, according to CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling.
This development presents numerous questions as investigators work diligently to uncover answers. The identities of the officers and the suspect have not been disclosed by CPD.
During a late afternoon press briefing, Snelling shared that a 38-year-old officer with a decade of service was fatally shot, while a 57-year-old officer with 21 years of experience remains in critical condition. The shooting occurred around 10:50 a.m. at 5140 North California Avenue, inside the hospital. Snelling confirmed the recovery of a third weapon, aside from the officers’ service firearms.
“We ask that you keep the families of these officers in your prayers,” Snelling urged the public.
Information obtained by CWB Chicago reveals that earlier in the day, a man robbed a Family Dollar store at 3239 West Lawrence Avenue in Albany Park. Reports suggest the suspect brandished a gun, assaulted a woman at an ATM, and escaped with store proceeds.
Some stolen items contained a GPS tracker, enabling CPD’s centralized intelligence center to trace the suspect to the 3400 block of North Troy Street by 8:25 a.m., according to sources. Officers discovered a wallet linked to the Family Dollar store but did not find a weapon. Radio communications also indicated a request for shackles to secure the suspect’s legs.
After being detained, the suspect claimed to be unwell, prompting CPD to call for an ambulance to transport him to Swedish Covenant for evaluation. The two officers who were later shot accompanied him.
Endeavor Health, the hospital’s operator, stated on X that the suspect was screened with a metal detector upon arrival, as part of the hospital’s security protocols. The company also confirmed that law enforcement escorted him at all times.
The shooting took place nearly two hours after the suspect and officers arrived at the hospital.
Following the shooting, the suspect, naked and with EKG stickers still on his chest, fled into the neighborhood carrying a firearm, as depicted in a photograph shared during the manhunt. Residents reported attempts to break into their homes as officers searched the area. Preliminary information indicates the suspect was located shortly after noon in the 2600 block of West Carmen Avenue, where investigators found the third firearm, sources noted.
Mayor Brandon Johnson stood alongside Snelling at the press conference.
“Today is a real difficult moment for our city,” Johnson expressed. “It’s a tragedy.”
“Our officers stand in the way of harm every single day, risking their lives,” Johnson added.
CPD released the following statement:
Preliminary Statement on Shooting of Two Chicago Police Department Officers in the 2700 block of W. Foster Ave.
CHICAGO – On Saturday, April 25, 2026, at approximately 10:50 a.m., a male was in custody and receiving treatment inside Swedish Hospital for an unrelated incident when he used a firearm to shoot two Chicago Police Department officers assigned to the 17th (Albany Park) District.
The offender fled the scene and was later taken into custody. One officer was pronounced at an area hospital. The second officer struck by gunfire remains in critical condition. A firearm was recovered on scene. The Investigative Response Team is investigating.
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