Video captured the vehicle leaving a Cicero Avenue bridge and crashing into a freight train car early Sunday.
BEDFORD PARK, IL — Four people died after a speeding pickup truck left a bridge and crashed into a freight train car during a police pursuit near Chicago’s Southwest Side early Sunday, authorities said.
Video published after the crash shows the pickup traveling along Cicero Avenue before it leaves the elevated roadway and drops into the rail yard below. The vehicle struck a boxcar near the border of Chicago and Bedford Park at about 2:16 a.m. Sunday.
The crash followed two attempts by police agencies to stop a vehicle matching the description of one involved in a reported gun threat, according to Chicago police. Investigators had not released the names or ages of the people in the pickup as of Monday.
Chicago officers first responded after a caller reported that someone traveling in a vehicle had pointed a gun at them. Police said officers found a vehicle matching the caller’s description and attempted to pull it over, but the driver did not stop.
Officers briefly pursued the vehicle before ending the chase, police said. Authorities did not disclose where the reported threat occurred or where Chicago officers first located the pickup.
Illinois State Police troopers later spotted the vehicle and attempted another traffic stop in the 5500 block of South Cicero Avenue. Police said the driver initially stopped but sped away as troopers began their investigation. State police then requested help from Chicago officers.
The pickup continued south at high speed before leaving the roadway in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue, according to police. The bridge crosses a large network of freight tracks near Bedford Park and Chicago Midway International Airport.
Initial police reports said two men and one woman were pronounced dead at the scene. A second woman was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition. The Cook County medical examiner’s office later reported that four people had died, although officials did not immediately clarify whether the hospitalized woman was the fourth person who died or whether another victim had been identified.
No injuries were reported among police officers, state troopers or railroad workers. Authorities also had not reported injuries aboard the train or said whether the boxcar was moving when the pickup struck it.
The Chicago Police Department’s Investigative Response Team is examining the crash with assistance from Illinois State Police. Officials had not announced further findings about the pursuit, the reported gun incident or the identities of the victims.
Author note: Last updated July 27, 2026.