Chicago Fire has become a popular series on-screen over its nine seasons. During its time on air, many characters have come and gone although as fans rewatch the show some have remembered Leslie Shay. But how did Shay die on Chicago Fire?
Death of Leslie Shay
In reference to the episode: “Real Never Waits”.
Chief Bodens wedding ceremony is interrupted when Firehouse 51 is called to a building fire. Shay and Dawson follow Squad 3 into the building, where they find an injured man and begin administering care. Dawson tells Shay to take the lead during this case since she would have to be in charge after Dawson leaves, causing them to switch places. Right after they switch places, Dawson tells Shay about Caseys possible proposal. Shay admits knowing about it, and during this conversation, an explosion occurs in the building. A collapsing pipe fatally hits Shay on the head while Dawson gets blown back. When Severide arrives on scene, he sees Dawson doing chest compressions on Shay and leaps in to help. Despite their efforts, Shay ultimately dies.
It is later found out that the fire which caused Shays death was done by a serial arsonist who was stalking her, Trenton Lamont, who also set the fire that injured Wallace Boden and killed Ross Clayton McGowan and Henry Mills 20 years prior. The storyline in the episode “Real Never Waits” is followed by the Season 3 Episode 13 “Three Bells”, which is a crossover with Chicago P.D. Season 2 Episode 13. Lamont is later killed by Antonio Dawson during an attempt to kill Gabriela.
Leslie Shay was a popular character during her tenure on Chicago Fire. She brought a unique energy to the 51 and gelled well with her fellow paramedics.
Things remain tense between the two right up to the episode “Real Never Waits”. It’s here that the pair answer a call to a building fire, and Dawson tells Shay to take the lead. Things go according to plan until an explosion causes a pipe to fall and fatally strike Shay in the head.
Shay, played by actress Lauren German, was introduced in the Chicago Fire pilot and was a steady presence throughout the first two seasons. She worked as a paramedic alongside Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund), whom she quickly grew close with. In the episode “A Nuisance Call”, however, Dawson pulls rank on an embarrassed Shay, and the pair decide to end their friendship.
She was also compelling in terms of her personal life. As someone with significant trust issues, we were always rooting for Shay to overcome her past experiences and find happiness.
It’s later discovered that the building fire was caused by Trenton Lamont (Robert Knepper), a serial arsonist who was also stalking Shay under the nose of the 51. Lamont was also responsible for the fire that claimed the lives of Ross McGowan and Henry Mill. He’s eventually killed by Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda) in the episode “Three Bells”.
How did Shay die on Chicago Fire?
Leslie Elizabeth Shay, better known to fans of the show as Shay, was killed off in the opening episode of season three.
In the episode, Leslie Shay, played by Lauren German, was injured during an explosion while attending a burning building with her colleague Gabriela Dawson.
Her death shocked many fans of the show as Leslie Shay had been a series regular in the first few seasons of the show.
Opening up on the character’s death, Chicago Fire’s executive producer, Matt Olmstead said the show wanted to make an impact by killing off one of the main characters.
He explained to TV Line in 2014: “Going into it, we knew if we were going to do it, it had to be someone who was going to give us a big impact as opposed to going for a lesser-known character, which would equate to a pulled punch. So, as opposed to approaching it with timidity, we thought we’d go for it.”
FAQ
What episode in season 2 does Shay die?
Why was Shay killed off Chicago Fire?