Mundelein Police Fatally Shoot Suicidal Woman Armed with Knives During Mental Health Crisis

A 37-year-old woman experiencing a mental health crisis was shot and killed by a Mundelein police officer Monday evening after she allegedly approached officers with two large knives, according to Lake County authorities.

A loved one told police that the woman wanted to die by suicide and specifically wanted police to kill her.

Officers responded to a home around 6 p.m. following a call from a concerned family member. Upon arrival, police said the woman was on the back patio of the house. As officers attempted to gather information, they claimed she suddenly approached the back door with two large knives before entering the house. An officer then shot her. She later died at the hospital.

A neighbor recounted hearing “four distinct gunshots,” describing the sounds as “distinct pop, pop, pop, pop.”

One of the woman’s loved ones spoke briefly with reporters, saying the family is navigating their grief and trying to understand how the incident occurred.

Use-of-force expert Chuck Wexler, who helps teach police departments best practices, said situations like this can potentially be prevented “with the right training, supervision and so forth.” He emphasized the importance of dispatchers gathering as much information as possible and connecting officers with the caller before they arrive on scene. Once on site, Wexler added, officers should maintain distance from the person in distress to allow for de-escalation. “Someone pulls a knife and the officer feels threatened,” Wexler said. “If you know that that threat is minimized to some degree by the distance they are and the cover that they assume.”

The Mundelein Police Department policy does not specifically address how to respond based on the type of weapon a person in distress might have. However, a source confirmed that officers do receive additional crisis intervention training, including a 40-hour course.

The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the shooting to determine whether the use of force was warranted. As per protocol, the involved officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the case.