A prisoner inside the hospital opened fire on two officers before fleeing to a nearby home today
Two Chicago police officers were shot inside Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on Saturday morning after a prisoner being held at the facility managed to obtain a weapon and discharge it at the responding officers. Both officers were transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center and listed in critical condition following the incident.
The shooting occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m. near the 2600 block of West Winona Street and the 5000 block of North California Avenue on Chicago’s North Side. Law enforcement sources confirmed the shooter was a prisoner already inside the hospital when the incident unfolded, a detail that narrowed the timeline and the search area almost immediately.
The suspect fled and SWAT moved in
After shooting the two officers, the suspect left the hospital on foot and barricaded inside a nearby residence several blocks away. SWAT teams surrounded the location and placed the suspect in custody by approximately 12:20 p.m., roughly an hour after the initial shots were reported. No additional injuries were confirmed during the manhunt.
Two officers shot in a prison related incident at Swedish Hospital at California and Foster. SWAT on scene. #ChicagoScanner pic.twitter.com/oTKVCgw56B
— DunningWatch (@DunningWatch) April 25, 2026
The Chicago Fire Department confirmed two people injured in the incident. Chicago police did not immediately respond to requests for additional information as the situation was still being processed by investigators at the scene.
The alderman warned residents to stay inside
Ald. Andre Vasquez, whose 40th Ward includes the hospital, notified neighbors directly after the shooting was confirmed. His office described the situation as an active shooter incident with multiple shots fired and one officer in critical condition. Residents near the hospital were urged to shelter in place and avoid the surrounding area while police and SWAT units worked the perimeter.
A heavy law enforcement presence was visible throughout Lincoln Square, with multiple police and emergency vehicles converging on the hospital campus. Footage from a nearby traffic camera captured officers moving into position during the early response. The alderman’s office confirmed the active investigation was ongoing and asked the public to remain clear of the area.
CHICAGO, IL (COOK COUNTY) | *OFFICER DOWN* | 5145 NORTH CALIFORNIA AVENUE | SHOTS FIRED IN THE ENDEAVOR HEALTH SWEDISH HOSPITAL WITH REPORTED 2 OFFICERS SHOT. SUBJECT FLED THE SCENE AND POSSIBLY IN 2651 W WINONA ST. BLACK MALE WITH SHORT HAIR WEARING MINIMAL CLOTHING. SWAT AND… pic.twitter.com/OJ93Z5lo97
— Alertpage, Inc (@alertpage) April 25, 2026
What remains under investigation
The circumstances of how the prisoner obtained a firearm inside a hospital setting remain under active investigation. Swedish Hospital operates as a medical facility under the Endeavor Health system, and the presence of a prisoner there indicates the individual was likely receiving medical treatment under law enforcement supervision at the time of the shooting.
Chicago police have not publicly confirmed the identity of the suspect or the officers involved. Illinois Masonic Medical Center received both officers, and their conditions had not been formally updated in public statements as of early Saturday afternoon.
The incident follows a pattern of hospital-based security incidents that have prompted broader conversations about firearm protocols in medical settings. For Lincoln Square residents, Saturday morning carried a weight that extended well beyond a single neighborhood alert.
WATCH: Police cars and ambulances rush to Swedish Hospital in Chicago, after reported shooting with 2 officers injured. pic.twitter.com/7Wdke3UXFC
— Resist Wire (@ResistWire) April 25, 2026