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Harrowing bodycam footage released today shows how Officer Krystal Rivera was fatally shot by her partner. The Chicago Police Department released the video Friday, April 17, revealing the final moments of the 36-year-old tactical officer. What the footage shows about her partner’s response raises new questions in a case that has haunted the city for 10 months.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Date of incident: Officer Rivera was shot on June 5, 2025, in Chatham during a foot chase.
- Shooter identity: Officer Carlos Baker, her partner, opened fire as she pursued a suspect.
- Video release: COPA released multiple camera angles on Friday, April 17, 2026, 10 months later.
- Family legal action: Rivera’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in December 2025, citing Baker’s troubled history.
The Shooting That Shattered a Chicago Police Family
The incident unfolded around 9:50 p.m. on June 5, 2025, in the 8200 block of South Drexel Avenue. Officer Krystal Rivera and her partner Carlos Baker attempted to stop a man later identified as Adrian Rucker. When Rucker fled into a nearby apartment building, both officers pursued him up the stairs, following standard protocol.
Baker kicked open the door to the apartment where Rucker had fled. Inside, a second man stood with what appeared to be a rifle pointed directly at the doorway. Baker, retreating from the armed suspect, spun around quickly and fired one shot backward. Officer Rivera was directly behind him in the hallway. The bullet struck her in the back.
Krystal Rivera shooting: bodycam videos released on partner who fatally shot Chicago officer
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What the Bodycam Video Reveals About Baker’s Response
The newly released footage from COPA shows critical details that have fueled the family’s lawsuit. Baker called “shots fired at police” into his radio and asked “Krystal, you good?” before requesting an ambulance. However, bodycam evidence reveals Baker then ran upstairs, away from Rivera, rather than immediately rendering aid.
Nearly two minutes elapsed before Baker finally went to his partner’s side. During that time, the injured officer attempted to radio dispatch, but her weakened voice made communication difficult. Officers who arrived later had to piece together that Baker was the one who had discharged his weapon. The video shows Baker dragging Rivera down the stairs as other officers responded.
| Detail | Information |
| Incident Location | 8200 block South Drexel Avenue, Chatham |
| Date of Shooting | June 5, 2025 |
| Time of Release | April 17, 2026 |
| Video Source | COPA, Chicago Police Department |
“Krystal Rivera would be alive today” if the department had terminated Baker’s probation when he started.
— Antonio Romanucci, Attorney for Rivera’s family
Baker’s History of Complaints And Discipline Concerns
Rivera’s death has exposed troubling gaps in the Chicago Police Department’s hiring and oversight. Officer Carlos Baker had accumulated over 11 misconduct complaints in less than three years. His record included allegations of excessive force and inappropriate conduct reported before he ever became Officer Rivera’s partner.
In January 2025, just months before the shooting, Baker applied for tactical team status. The Chief of Patrol initially rejected his application due to his disciplinary record. However, a few weeks later, after a Taser incident resulted in a seven-car crash, leadership reversed course. Baker was approved and assigned to the tactical team where he met Rivera in January 2025, shooting her just five months later.
The Wrongful Death Lawsuit and What Comes Next
Rivera’s family, led by her mother Yolanda Rivera, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in December 2025. The lawsuit alleges that Baker had a failed romantic relationship with Rivera and deliberately withheld aid. According to the complaint, Baker intentionally did not call for backup or immediate ambulance support, contrary to department protocol and his training.
Baker was stripped of his police powers on August 15, 2025, after a separate incident. He remains employed by the department in the Alternate Response Section, answering non-emergency calls. The family’s attorney, Antonio Romanucci, argues the city should never have hired Baker and that Krystal Rivera would still be alive today if proper oversight had occurred. Could this case lead to systemic changes at CPD?
