Executive Summary
- Lawsuit alleges Officer Baker shot Officer Rivera intentionally due to a failed relationship.
- Incident occurred June 5 during a foot chase; CPD initially described it as an accident.
- The filing claims Baker fled the scene and failed to render medical aid to his partner.
- Officer Baker faces scrutiny over a history of disciplinary complaints and suspensions.
The family of Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Wednesday, alleging that her fatal shooting by her partner, Officer Carlos Baker, was an intentional act stemming from a failed romantic relationship rather than a tragic accident in the line of duty. The complaint, filed in Cook County court against Baker and the Chicago Police Department, challenges the official narrative that Rivera died during a chaotic exchange of gunfire with suspects.
According to the lawsuit, the incident occurred on June 5 in the Chatham neighborhood while the officers were pursuing a gunman. While the police department has described the event as a tragic accident, the plaintiffs contend that Baker, 28, shot Rivera, 36, in the back due to personal grievances. The filing alleges that Rivera had recently ended a romantic relationship with Baker, citing his infidelity, and had threatened to disclose the affair to his live-in girlfriend. The suit claims Baker showed up uninvited at Rivera’s home the day before the shooting.
The complaint details that after firing the single fatal shot, Baker allegedly “ran in the opposite direction and left her to die” without providing medical aid or acknowledging he was the shooter. Attorney Antonio Romanucci, representing Rivera’s mother Yolanda Rivera, stated in a release that Rivera understood the risks of policing but “never should have had to fear was her own partner.” The lawsuit further accuses the department of negligence for retaining Baker despite a disciplinary record that included suspensions and reprimands during his probationary period. Baker has been stripped of police powers since August following an unrelated investigation into a bar fight, but officials have not publicly linked his administrative status to the shooting.
Administrative and Legal Review
This civil filing introduces significant scrutiny regarding the Chicago Police Department’s internal oversight and retention of officers with disciplinary histories. The allegations of intentional homicide, if corroborated by evidence, would fundamentally alter the trajectory of the ongoing investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), potentially shifting the focus from departmental policy compliance to criminal liability. It is important to note that these claims are currently part of a civil lawsuit; Officer Baker has not been criminally charged in connection with Rivera’s death, and he is presumed innocent of any criminal wrongdoing until proven guilty in a court of law.
