'Chicago Fire' Pauses Production After Shooting Reported Near Set
Chicago Fire production was put on hold Wednesday afternoon after a shooting was reported near the filming in Chicago. No injuries were reported, but most members of the main cast were reportedly on set at the time. The NBC drama series is now filming its 11th season.
The production was filming scenes outside a funeral home on West Madison St., reports CWB Chicago. A man started firing from a nearby corner at around 1:55 p.m. Police officers were already at the scene to provide security and one of them reported shots fired on the local police radio.
Hello everyone. The incident today near the Chicago Fire set is just one in a long line of incidents this year that have impacted shows that film here. The most serious was the shooting on the Justified set, while bullets also hit near the Chicago Med part of the studio..
— Filming in Chicago (@filming_chicago) September 14, 2022
The gunman, described as a Black man with braids, walked out of an alley and "fired several shots at people" while standing at a corner opposite the production. Afterward, the shooter jumped into a black SUV parked nearby and fled through an alley. It's unclear who the man was shooting at, but a Chicago Police Department spokesperson told CWB Chicago the man "shot at a group of people standing in the 5900 block of West Madison" before fleeing the scene.
"It happened mid-take," a film industry source told the outlet. "No one was injured on set, but a bullet did ricochet off some equipment." The source added that the shooting "happened right in front" of the marked police cars at the scene. Filming in Chicago, a Twitter page that tracks productions in Chicago, reported Chicago Fire filming was put on hold. Sources also confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the show's security protocols went into effect and production was put on hold for the rest of the day. There were reports that a bullet hit some of the production's equipment, but THR's sources said those are inaccurate. Detectives are investigating the shooting.
This was the latest incident for a Hollywood production in Chicago. In July, FX's Justified: City Primeval had to shut down filming after two cars exchanging gunfire ignored barricades and drove onto the set. Just a few weeks later, an "incendiary device" was thrown towards the production at another location. No one was injured in either incident.
After the shooting, Justified series producer Sony Pictures Television hired an extra security detail, Deadline reported in late July. The studio reportedly hired a trained hostage negotiator who has worked around the world to lead a new security team. The group also includes former Navy SEALs and Army Rangers, who would work alongside the existing Chicago police detail. Chicago does require "police supervision" for some filming activities, notes CWB Chicago.
Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago PD are all filmed on stages at the Cinespace Chicago studio. However, they regularly film exterior scenes throughout the city. All three shows are produced by Dick Wolf and will premiere their new seasons on Sept. 21 on Wednesday.