In Chicago P.D. Season 5, Episode 14, fans watched in shock as Officer Adam Ruzek made a split-second decision that turned him into one of the most controversial characters in the series’ history—he pulled the trigger before confirming his target.
The team was closing in on a suspected arms dealer. The suspect ran. Ruzek chased, gun drawn. A corner. A shadow. A gun. One shot.
When the smoke cleared, it wasn’t the dealer.
It was an unarmed teen.
The moment sent the entire Intelligence Unit into crisis mode. Voight ordered a cover-up. Burgess questioned their morality. Halstead began to doubt Ruzek altogether. But what fans didn’t know was that this entire storyline wasn’t originally part of the season plan.
Writers added it late in production, inspired by real-life headlines. They wanted to explore what happened when one of their most trusted characters crossed a line—not for malice, but out of fear.
The showrunners reportedly debated the scene for weeks. Some wanted to portray it as an accident. Others wanted it to be intentional—but emotionally justified. In the end, they settled on ambiguity: Ruzek thought he saw a weapon, but there was none.
What made the moment hit harder was how it unraveled afterward.
Internal Affairs got involved. Ruzek lied during his interview, claiming the suspect reached for something. He was nearly suspended. Burgess, still emotionally attached to him, told him she couldn’t trust him anymore.
The fallout changed everything. Ruzek became more hardened. Voight grew more controlling. And Burgess? She began operating on her own moral compass—often at odds with the rest of the unit.
Fans were divided. Some defended Ruzek, saying he acted under pressure. Others called for his firing. The writers refused to give an easy answer—and that’s what made the arc unforgettable.
In a world where every officer has blood on their hands, Chicago P.D. dared to ask: What if the blood was on yours—and you couldn’t tell whether it was justice or fear?
