A law firm said it has launched a civil investigation into the death of a Chicago Police Department officer after the department announced she was accidentally shot by her partner.
In early June, police said Officer Krystal Rivera was killed by friendly fire while she and another officer were responding to an incident involving an armed suspect.
Now, Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, is representing Rivera’s family and urging Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling to call on Illinois State Police to open an independent investigation into Rivera’s death.
“The death of Officer Krystal Rivera on June 5, 2025, being shot by a fellow officer, is nothing short of a nightmare for her family and loved ones, the Chicago Police Department, and the city of Chicago,” Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, said in an email. With the 36-year-old single mother now laid to rest, what she and her grieving family deserve now is full transparency and a thorough and independent investigation into this horrific tragedy and answers for accountability.”
The law firm said it also wants the Chicago Police Department to release all unedited body and dash camera footage of the shooting, as well as share the full personnel file on the officer who killed Rivera.
In the email, the law firm said the officer who shot Rivera was hired in December 2021. The attorneys representing Rivera’s family alleged his disciplinary record includes six complaints.
“One extremely concerning one came just a few weeks into his probation,” according to the law firm. “In 2022, reports indicate this officer flashed a gun under his waistband to a woman he had been talking to personally, while she was on a date with another man.
“There is CPD record of a domestic violence complaint that was never pursued. There are five other reports of complaints against him in his short tenure with the force. Domestic Violence or DV is a death sentence for a police officer under the Lautenberg Act — it requires them to surrender their badge and their gun.”
The email from the law firm included statements from Rivera’s family. Her mother and stepfather said they want answers surrounding their daughter’s death.
“Krystal was admired by her fellow officers, respected by her community, loved by everyone who truly knew her. She led with kindness and was a woman of character. Whether she was mentoring young officers or simply brightening someone’s day, she always lifted others up. As her mother, I am asking for complete transparency. I need to understand what happened that night. I need the truth,” Yolanda Rivera said.
Rivera’s stepfather, Rico Thompson, shared similar sentiments.
“Her courage, her heart, and her fierce dedication to standing up for others defined her both in and out of uniform,” he said. “Krystal was the type of woman who would show up for you before you even knew you needed her; and she did it with strength, grace and that signature fire in her spirit.
“We are asking the superintendent for full transparency. We believe that it is in the city’s best interest. We know for sure that Krystal deserves the best investigation that this city, that she loved and died for, has to offer.”
Rivera, a four-year veteran of the department, was shot and killed while she and her partner chased a suspect into an apartment and encountered another person with a rifle.
Her partner was the only person who fired a weapon, and the “gunfire unintentionally struck Officer Rivera,” police previously said in a statement. An autopsy showed she was shot in the back. She died at a hospital less than an hour after she was shot.
Rivera’s funeral was held June 25, with the Chicago Police Department sharing footage and photos of the service on social media. Law enforcement agencies from across the country joined Rivera’s family and friends to pay their respects.
One image shows Rivera’s 10-year-old daughter holding the flag that was on her mother’s casket.
“The Chicago Police Department grieves the heartbreaking loss of Officer Rivera, a courageous and compassionate officer who devoted her career to helping others and protecting our city,” the department said in one of the posts. “We will #NeverForget.”
The Chicago Police Department has not commented yet when asked if the department plans to seek further investigations
Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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