Authorities said no one was injured in the early-morning shooting, which caused minor property damage as investigators worked to determine a motive.
CHICAGO, IL — A man was taken into custody early Tuesday after authorities said he fired a gun near the John C. Kluczynski Federal Building in downtown Chicago, prompting a large response from local police and federal security officers. No injuries were reported.
Chicago police said the gunfire occurred around 4:30 a.m. Oct. 20 in the 200 block of South Dearborn Street in the Loop. The Department of Homeland Security said a Federal Protective Service security officer reported an active shooter on federal property near the building. Chicago police and federal personnel responded, and officers took a male suspect into custody at the scene. Authorities said one firearm was recovered.
The shooting caused minor damage to federal property, according to Homeland Security. Police also reported damage to a nearby building. CBS Chicago reported that a bullet hole was visible in a window of the Central Standard Building across from Federal Plaza. No one was struck by the gunfire, police said.
Investigators spent Tuesday morning examining the area around Federal Plaza, where officers collected evidence and placed markers near apparent shell casings and bullet fragments. Police had not publicly confirmed how many shots were fired. Dispatch audio cited by CBS Chicago indicated that roughly 15 shell casings might have been found, but authorities had not verified that count.
Authorities had not announced what the shooter may have been aiming at or why the gunfire occurred. It also remained unclear whether the Kluczynski Federal Building itself was the intended target. Homeland Security and Chicago police said the investigation was continuing, and officials had not publicly identified the man in custody.
The Kluczynski Federal Building, at 230 S. Dearborn St., is part of the Federal Plaza complex in the heart of Chicago’s Loop. The building houses offices for several federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor. Illinois U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth also have offices in the building.
The building sits across Dearborn Street from the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, another major federal facility in the downtown complex. A spokesperson for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois said there was no active threat and that the courthouse remained open Tuesday.
The early-morning gunfire brought dozens of Chicago police officers and federal personnel to the area. Parts of the plaza were blocked with police tape while investigators searched the street and sidewalks for evidence. Authorities said the damage to federal property was minor and did not report injuries to officers, workers or members of the public.
Charges against the man were pending Tuesday as Chicago police detectives continued their investigation. Authorities had not released a motive or additional details about the suspect, and Homeland Security said further information would be limited while the investigation remained active.
Author note: Last updated October 20, 2026.