Chicago P.D.’s ‘Heroes’ episode centers on officer Robbie McKay’s suicide

Nbc reported that the January 14 episode of Chicago P.D., Season 13 Episode 9 titled "Heroes," focused on Intelligence Unit member Trudy Platt confronting the death of narcotics officer Robbie McKay, which the show depicted as a suicide.

In the episode, Platt had reconnected with McKay to help plan a raid, but when he failed to appear she performed a wellness check and found him with a gunshot wound to the head. Homicide detectives quickly ruled the death a suicide; while Det. Hank Voight supported Platt’s efforts to reframe the case, mounting evidence and Detective Burgess’s investigation ultimately pointed to McKay taking his own life. Actor Amy Morton said the story felt "very, very human," noting the topic is commonly avoided and was important to tell.

Burgess discovered a final video message McKay recorded for his family that confirmed he had been secretly struggling with PTSD, and Platt notified his family in the episode’s final scenes. A 2017 U.S. Justice Department report found the suicide rate among Chicago officers was higher than the national law-enforcement average, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that 31 CPD employees died by suicide between 2016 and 2023, and a CNA Corporation report cited by CNN placed nationwide law enforcement suicides at 1,287 between 2016 and 2022. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available: call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Key Topics

Culture, Chicago P.d, Trudy Platt, Robbie Mckay, Amy Morton, Officer Suicide