‘Chicago Fire’ Actress DuShon Monique Brown Dies at 49

Chicago Fire actress DuShon Monique Brown has died.

Known best for playing Connie, Chief Boden’s (Eamonn Walker) assistant, on the NBC firefighter drama, Brown died a little after 12 p.m. Friday at St. James Olympia Field Hospital. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

E! News reports an autopsy has been scheduled for Saturday.

“The Chicago Fire family is devastated to lose one of its own,” executive producer Dick Wolf said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with DuShon’s family and we will all miss her.”

The Chicago Tribune writes the news was also confirmed in an email sent to parents by Gregory Jones, principal of Chicago’s Kenwood Academy High School, where Brown once worked as a counselor. She was also the school’s crisis counselor and led the Drama Start Program.

Brown’s character on Chicago Fire was known for being a moral compass and no-nonsense influence on the firefighters. She appeared on Thursday’s two-hour special, where she memorable picked up a non-work-related fax for the firehouse squad and simply gave them a long look before handing over the piece of paper.

The actress had been on the hit series since its start back in 2012.

Brown told Huffington Post in 2016 the cast and crew of the NBC drama always felt like a family.

“People are always asking me about my kid and how my day is going and they are all so very sweet and kind.”

Taking note of her master’s degree in counseling and background in social work, reporter Andrew Cristi jokingly asked how she’d feel about a spinoff called “Chicago Ed” or “Chicago Shelter,” to which she replied: “I’m there! If they pull that show out, I will be an actor and a consultant! Trust me.”

Brown told Hidden Remote that when she was first cast in the role of Connie her character didn’t even have a name.

“She was a noun. She was Secretary and it was a one-liner. What was exciting was (I) was auditioning for a Chicago show, but it was also the possibility that she could maybe develop into something,” Brown said.

Brown’s other TV credits include the recurring role of nurse Katie Welch for 13 episodes on Prison Break as well as one-time guest appearances on Empire and Shameless.