On One-Year Anniversary of Shooting Death of Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera, Legal Team Calls Out Hypocrisy of CPD

Traditional one-year memorial tribute honors Krystal’s death in the line of duty, while Police stonewall her family’s civil investigation

(CHICAGO, June 5, 2026) – The painful year since the fully preventable death of Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera has been marked by contradicting police narratives about what happened the night of June 5, 2025, about Officer Carlos Baker’s stunning alleged lack of awareness that he had fired his service weapon and shot Krystal in the back, about his delay in calling for help and rendering emergency care to Krystal, and inexplicable delays in sharing of evidence by CPD. 

The legal team acknowledges that today’s long-held tradition of the one-year End of Watch ceremony gives Krystal her due respect for making the ultimate sacrifice for our city while in pursuit of a suspect. However, there are two points of contention, in particular. One is the ever-changing CPD narrative about Officer Baker’s firing of his weapon, which has shifted from saying Baker was unaware he fired his weapon, to he fell and the shooting was accidental, and now in the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s flyer for today’s Memorial End of Watch Roll Call states he: “...took aim at the subject with the rifle and fired (his) weapon. The discharged round inadvertently struck Officer Rivera...” The CPD narrative on what happened to Krystal keeps changing because they cannot control the narrative, and what happened to Krystal is damning to them. An appropriate End of Watch ceremony would require the Chicago Police Department to be 100% transparent about what happened and stick to one story.   

Further, while creating a public ceremony to honor Krystal is right and good, CPD’s behind-the-scenes behavior is anything but respectful of her service and her memory. Despite one full year of requests for cooperation by CPD with our civil investigation, we have yet to receive the requested evidence, documentation, full video files, transcription of interviews with Baker after the tragedy and all related personnel files. This contradiction and hypocrisy must stop. Krystal – and the concerned citizens of Chicago – deserve better from their Police. 

Romanucci & Blandin stands firm on its earliest assertions in this case: that Krystal should be alive today because Carlos Baker should never have been allowed to become a Chicago Police Officer in the first place. The legal team continues to insist on full transparency and release of every CPD video, file, communication, and officer interview related to this case. Krystal, an officer sworn to protect and serve the City of Chicago, deserves nothing less. 

The report of findings from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the official cause of her death was a “gunshot wound to the back,” and the manner of death was homicide, further adding insult to this tragedy for her family and confusion over the lack of transparency and action from the Chicago Police Department.   Krystal had informed CPD superiors that she thought Baker was reckless in the past, yet the two were paired together as partners on duty last year. Krystal’s knowledge of Baker’s personality and risk was beyond professional; it was personal, as the two had been in a romantic relationship, which she ended over concerns about Baker. Prior to the shooting, she had learned Baker had been living with another woman during his romantic relationship with Krystal, a fact he hid from Krystal, and she had repeatedly told Baker she intended to inform that other woman about their prior relationship. 

On June 5, 2025, during the pursuit of a suspect, Baker fired his weapon and struck Krystal in the back. He then abandoned her, failed to render medical aid or immediately call for emergency medical aid, and failed to provide accurate information to dispatch about what happened. After discharging his weapon and striking his partner, he left her in the hallway to die alone, leaving behind a young daughter, a grieving family and an angry community. Her death never should have happened – if only multiple warning signs had been heeded and action taken to remove him as her partner or remove him from the force altogether. Indeed, he never should have been a Chicago Police Officer from the beginning.

This tragedy was absolutely foreseeable. It was not only the foreseeable result of Baker’s willful and wanton conduct, but also the foreseeable consequence of the City of Chicago’s own negligence with respect to the retention and supervision of Baker.  

Krystal’s family is represented by Founding Partner Antonio M. Romanucci, Partner John R. Gorey and Senior Attorney Maura D. White from Romanucci & Blandin, LLC. 

“It’s been a full year since Krystal Rivera was shot and killed by her CPD partner, and the tragedy is still as shocking as it was that very first night. But adding insult to injury, Chicago Police have not slow-walked our civil investigation; they have not taken any steps at all. They have released only what they have wanted the public to see. What we do know is that CPD had knowledge that Baker was hostile and threatening to women outside of his professional capacity. CPD was aware of a 2022 domestic violence report by a former love interest of his. But CPD failed to thoroughly investigate and discipline Baker. We have said from the beginning, and we say firmly again now, Carlos Baker never should have been a Chicago Police Officer,” said Antonio M. Romanucci, Founding Partner of Romanucci & Blandin. “Certainly, Baker’s willful and wanton choices were evident when a shot was fired by police at police. After Baker shot his partner in the back, he showed his utter personal disdain for her. He let her die that night, without upholding his duty as an officer to take all means possible to call for emergency aid and attempt first aid to keep her alive until help arrived. Instead, he let her die. We look forward to a jury of Cook County residents hearing this case and determining what justice for Krystal looks like.”

In December of 2025, Romanucci & Blandin announced the filing of a civil lawsuit on behalf of Krystal’s family, naming Carlos Baker and the Chicago Police Department as defendants responsible for her death, including multiple counts against CPD for its failure to properly investigate and discipline Baker for numerous complaints, including a domestic violence report involving another woman with whom he was romantically involved before he became involved with Krystal. Further, the lawsuit notes that Krystal informed CPD higher-ups that she was concerned Baker was reckless and asked that they be reassigned, so they were no longer partners.  

The nine-count complaint, filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County by Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, on behalf of Yolanda Rivera, Krystal’s mother and Administrator of her estate, alleges that the 36-year-old officer’s death was not only caused by Baker’s willful and wanton conduct, but was also the foreseeable consequence of the City’s negligence in retaining Baker and assigning him as Rivera’s partner despite knowledge that he posed a danger to her. 

Had CPD made appropriate decisions in numerous instances with Baker, he would either no longer have been an officer on June 5, 2025, or would not have been Krystal’s partner that day. Krystal would still be alive. 

Carlos Baker’s history of aggression against women and complaints about him to the CPD 

At the time of Krystal’s death, Baker had accumulated at least 11 misconduct complaints in less than three years on the force—a record worse than 95% of CPD officers. His very first day as a probationary officer resulted in a sustained allegation of disobedience. Four months later, a woman he had been dating reported to CPD that Baker allegedly brandished his firearm at her during a domestic dispute—conduct that constitutes domestic violence under Illinois law.

Despite these serious allegations, the City’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) closed the domestic violence investigation after just three and a half months without any determination, well below COPA’s average investigation length of 20 months. Baker faced no discipline and remained on the force.

These complaints and reports, and three others, all occurred while Baker was still a probationary officer, and during which CPD may summarily terminate an officer. 

Despite the numerous complaints of misconduct against Defendant Baker on or around March 2025, CPD assigned Defendant Baker to the 6th District TAC Team for the second time—a specialized and sought-after unit within the Department, despite his evident unfitness for duty as a CPD officer, let alone serving on a specialized unit. 

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ABOUT ROMANUCCI & BLANDIN, LLC 

Romanucci & Blandin is a Chicago-based national trial practice committed to fighting for victims of negligence, abuse and wrongful death. For nearly 30 years, we have secured more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients - many for millions of dollars and others record-setting awards.  Our experience ranges from mass shootings, civil rights and police misconduct to medical malpractice, sexual abuse, motor vehicle accidents or workplace injury cases involving individual or institutional negligence. Romanucci & Blandin is a valuable legal resource to individuals and groups of people who have been injured by others’ wrongdoing. Referring attorneys and clients say several factors differentiate our firm: Our record of success, depth of experience, talented and dedicated legal team, tireless preparation and strategic use of communications to fight for the rights of those whose lives have been changed forever. We are different from other personal injury firms in that our work does not stop when a verdict or settlement is secured.  We are often inspired by our clients’ experiences and commit resources to create change in our communities. For more information about Romanucci & Blandin, please visit www.rblaw.net or call (312) 458-1000.