The shooting left a bullet-riddled SUV on West Lexington Street as federal investigators reviewed what happened.
CHICAGO, IL — FBI agents shot and killed a man Thursday afternoon during an operation on the city’s West Side, leaving a heavily damaged SUV at the scene and drawing a large police response, authorities and witnesses said.
The shooting happened about 3 p.m. in the 3700 block of West Lexington Street, in the Homan Square area. The Chicago Fire Department confirmed one person was dead. Federal officials had not released the man’s name Thursday night, and the FBI said the shooting was under investigation. The case drew immediate questions because it involved federal agents using deadly force in a residential area.
Video from the scene showed FBI agents in helmets and protective vests near a Cadillac SUV after the gunfire ended. The vehicle’s windshield and driver’s side had many bullet holes, and agents appeared to focus on the driver’s seat. Witnesses described hearing loud blasts before gunfire. One witness, who was not identified publicly, said the driver came through the sunroof and fired. “He came up through the sunroof and started spraying bullets and they sprayed back at him,” the witness said. Officials had not confirmed that account Thursday night.
Authorities did not immediately say what led agents to the SUV or whether the man fired at them before he was killed. Law enforcement sources said the man was wanted in connection with a bank robbery, but officials had not announced charges, warrants or the exact reason for the operation. Family members told a local station the man was 25 years old. A man who identified himself as the victim’s brother said he believed the shooting was not justified. No injuries to agents or bystanders had been reported in the first public accounts.
The block where the shooting happened is on the West Side, near homes, small businesses and busy streets that connect Homan Square with other neighborhoods. Police and federal agents remained at the scene into the evening, with parts of the street blocked as investigators examined the SUV and the surrounding area. The gunfire came during daylight hours, when people were still moving through the neighborhood. Witnesses said the sound of flashbangs and shots caused people nearby to stop, take cover or look for answers as officers filled the block.
The FBI said it was reviewing the agent-involved shooting, the standard process after agents discharge their weapons. Such reviews typically include collecting physical evidence, interviewing agents and witnesses, and studying video from law enforcement, private cameras or bystanders. Chicago police also responded to the scene, but the shooting involved federal agents. Officials had not said whether the FBI’s Shooting Incident Review Team had been sent to Chicago or when more details would be released. The Cook County medical examiner would be expected to identify the man after relatives are notified.
The shooting also raised questions about what video exists from the operation. Officials had not said whether agents were wearing body cameras or whether nearby surveillance cameras captured the moments before the shooting. The FBI has not released the names of the agents involved. It also had not said how many agents fired, how many shots were fired, or whether a weapon was recovered from the SUV. Those details are central to the investigation because witnesses and family members gave early accounts before the full evidence was public.
By Thursday night, the scene on West Lexington Street remained marked by police tape, federal vehicles and the damaged SUV at the center of the case. The next milestone is the release of the man’s identity and a fuller account from federal officials on why agents approached the vehicle and what happened before gunfire began.
Author note: Last updated May 28, 2026.