Knife-Wielding Man Tackled After 9-Hour Federal Courthouse Standoff

A standoff at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago ended after approximately nine hours on Tuesday night.

Shortly before 8 p.m., federal agents were seen rushing toward a man who had been standing in the building’s lobby with a knife since around 11 a.m.

The man was apparently placed on a stretcher as a Chicago Fire Department ambulance arrived outside the building.

It was not immediately clear what led to the sudden movement.

The man was observed being taken out on a stretcher. He appeared alert and conscious, with a wound on his neck.

Earlier in the day, a mandatory evacuation order was issued for everyone inside the Dirksen Federal Building, according to sources.

The evacuation followed a lockdown that had been in place for several hours.

Witnesses stated that a man entered the federal courthouse lobby at 11 a.m., waving his arms and carrying a knife.

The FBI confirmed it was investigating the incident at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse.

As federal agents arrived from various directions, U.S. Marshals, responsible for courthouse security, escorted attorneys and bystanders in the lobby outside.

Agents were seen pointing rifles at the lobby during the incident.

Witnesses said the encounter occurred in a public area of the building, indicating the individual did not pass through security.

“I can't hear anything that he's saying,” said witness Deja Williams. “I can just see him moving his arm around, making people back up from him. I guess he was making movements to the FBI agents telling them to back up from him.”

Sources within the building stated that a loudspeaker announcement was made during the incident.

“What is happening? What’s going on, and when are we going to get more information to get out of here?” said Austin. “We went down the elevator, and there was someone saying, ‘stay as quiet as possible, and walk as fast as possible out this door.’”

A single negotiator appeared to engage the man for hours. He was described as wearing a blue button-down shirt tucked into khakis, with a tan backpack over one shoulder.

Federal law enforcement sources stated that the bomb squad was called due to the presence of the backpack.

The man paced throughout the lobby, at one point sipping from a water bottle provided by law enforcement and smoking a cigarette.

By mid-afternoon, a female negotiator was seen speaking one-on-one with the man.

The public was urged to avoid the building.

A standoff continued for nearly nine hours Tuesday evening after an armed individual initiated a lockdown at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.

The U.S. Marshals stated the man attempted to get past security while armed with a knife but was stopped. The FBI confirmed the building was placed on lockdown shortly after 11 a.m.

No civilians were in the lobby at the time. The area was cleared, and the lockdown was enforced.

“There was no sound, it was just a light, a flashing light, kind of like a fire alarm, but no sounds,” said witness Austin Giesey. “It was a speaker on the intercom saying there was a situation in the lobby; do not leave the room you’re in.”

The standoff with the man continued through the afternoon and evening. The man was visible through the building’s windows, pacing, waving his arms, and at times holding the knife to his neck.

A substantial presence from the FBI, SWAT, Chicago police, Department of Homeland Security, and unmarked vehicles responded to the scene.

A man who had reported for jury duty on the 23rd floor of the building said he and around 40 other potential jurors were allowed to leave around 3:30 p.m. after waiting for hours.

FBI agents in tactical gear also focused on a nearby car. Agents broke a window to access and search the vehicle. It was unclear if the car was related to the courthouse situation.

During the standoff, law enforcement closed streets around the building, including Dearborn Street between Jackson Boulevard and Adams Street. Pedestrian access was also restricted near the courthouse.

Just before 8 p.m., the man was tackled by law enforcement and removed from the lobby on a stretcher.

The Dirksen Federal Building, located at 219 S. Dearborn St., houses U.S. District and bankruptcy courts.