CHICAGO — Newly released body camera video shows a Chicago officer-involved shooting in which an officer was fatally shot by her colleague during a foot pursuit.
In a recent episode of the “Shots Fired” podcast, cohosts Sergeant Kyle Shoberg and retired police officer Mark Redlich walk through the incident step by step, using the footage to raise questions about tactics, communication and decision-making under pressure.
The shooting happened on June 5, 2023, in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. Officers initiated a foot pursuit after spotting a man they believed may have been armed, based on a visible bulge in his waistband.
During the podcast, Redlich frames the scenario with two key questions for officers:
- Would you run a foot pursuit with your firearm drawn?
- If a suspect runs into an apartment and shuts the door, do you force entry or hold?
Those questions become central as the video unfolds.
The pursuing officer closes the distance as the suspect enters an apartment and shuts the door. Moments later, the officer, identified as Carlos Baker, forces entry. Within seconds, a shot is fired — striking his partner, Officer Krystal Rivera, who was positioned near the doorway.
According to the podcast discussion and local news reports, the shooting has been described as an unintentional discharge.
The hosts question whether the officer’s firearm should have been drawn — and whether finger placement may have contributed to the discharge.
The hosts also discuss the risks of moving quickly with a firearm drawn, noting the number of variables involved when kicking a door or making sudden movements.
Communication breakdown under stress
Following the shooting, the officer’s radio traffic becomes another point of analysis.
The podcast highlights confusion in the officer’s communication, including difficulty relaying clear information about the situation, location and needed resources. At one point, the officer can be heard saying, “Call the police,” a moment the hosts question as they discuss his response and radio traffic.
“You have to be descriptive of what just happened,” Shoberg says during the episode, noting that responding units rely on accurate information to safely enter and manage the scene.
The hosts tie this back to training, emphasizing the importance of mental preparation and communication discipline during high-stress incidents.
Response and rescue challenges
The video also shows the officer attempting to move his partner from the scene. The hosts question both the timing and method of extraction, noting the risks of prolonged exposure to a potentially unsecured threat area.
Additional complications arose during transport. According to the podcast, Rivera was placed in a patrol vehicle for rapid transport to the hospital, but that vehicle later crashed and caught fire. She was ultimately transported by ambulance.
Officer’s disciplinary history
Later in the episode, the hosts shift their focus to the officer’s background, referencing reports about prior disciplinary issues and complaints.
According to the discussion, Baker had been suspended three times and faced several misconduct allegations since joining the department in 2021. Shoberg and Redlich also note reports that Rivera had previously requested a partner transfer, citing concerns about Baker’s behavior.
“So, some of his first complaints made against him was he failed to arrest a home invasion suspect on his first shift. I don’t know how you failed to do that. Probationary misconduct complaints, multiple of them. He allegedly flashed a firearm at a woman during a personal dispute. So that tells me he’s off duty, having a personal, you know, dispute, and he flashes a gun at her,” Shoberg said while reading the complaints made against Baker.
The two also mention that the officers had been in a prior relationship, a detail that has been included in broader coverage of the case.
The hosts questioned how an officer with that history remained on duty and whether earlier intervention could have changed the outcome.
The hosts also mentioned that Rivera’s family has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging the shooting was preventable and citing Baker’s disciplinary history as a contributing factor. According to the claim, the family argues that earlier action on prior complaints could have changed the outcome.
“A lot to learn from”
Throughout the episode, Redlich maintains a focus on lessons for officers rather than assigning intent.
“This is why we talk about these situations,” he says. “You don’t think it’s going to happen to you until it does.”
