Oak Park Detective Killed in Line of Duty, Marking First Officer Death in 86 Years

An Oak Park police detective was fatally shot Friday morning while responding to a report of an armed individual leaving a Chase Bank, marking the first line-of-duty death in the near west suburb in 86 years, officials said.

Detective Allan Reddins, a 40-year-old veteran of the department, was shot in his left side shortly after 9 a.m. as he and other officers confronted a suspect, according to Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson. Officers ordered the suspect to show his hands, but he instead "brandished a firearm" and opened fire, Johnson said.

Reddins, a five-year member of the Oak Park force, was transported to Loyola University Medical Center in critical condition. He succumbed to his injuries at approximately 10:10 a.m. “We’re hurting right now,” Johnson said during a news conference Friday evening. “I’m hurting. His family is hurting.”

The suspect was shot in the leg during the confrontation and was treated at the scene before being taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. Police said the suspect remained in custody Friday night.

Johnson declined to provide additional details about the suspect or the circumstances leading up to the shooting, saying she did not want to give the alleged gunman any more “air time.”

Detective Reddins, of Chicago, joined the Oak Park Police Department in 2019 after serving with Metra police. Johnson described him as a “natural leader” who was promoted to the investigations division in 2022 and closed several major cases. “He would always take the extra step to say ‘what else,’ and that is huge,” Johnson said, adding that Reddins had been on track to become a sergeant.

Reddins was remembered as a devoted family man who leaves behind his mother, siblings, and a 19-year-old son. “We had so many conversations about his mother,” Johnson said, describing Reddins’ son as “a bright young man with a bright future ahead of him.”

Reddins’ death is the first line-of-duty death in the history of the 86-member Oak Park Police Department since 1938. Johnson said the force was in mourning, noting the strong support from colleagues who came in during the holiday to help and provide comfort. “He had a whole community there at the hospital,” she said. “This is the worst day for any chief of police.”

Police officials, including Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, have expressed their condolences and offered assistance. Funeral arrangements for Detective Reddins will be posted on the Oak Park village website, Johnson said.