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.
Shay was killed off in the ‘Chicago Fire’ Season 2 finale.
At the end of Season 2, Shays life hung in the balance during an explosion that was the result of a building collapse during a fire. Although Boden accounted for most of Firehouse 51 during the incident, Dawson and Shay were noticeably absent. It wasnt until the Season 3 premiere when it was revealed what happened to Dawson and Shay during the explosion.
As fans had feared at the time, Shay was dead. Dawson tried to revive her, but Shay was killed off. It was a fitting end for the fictional hero. But it also meant that Lauren left Chicago Fire with no hope of returning. Luckily, it doesnt seem to have been a result of an issue with the actress. Instead, it was a creative decision made for the sake of the shows storylines. Article continues below advertisement
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
Did Shay die on Chicago Fire?
Who murdered Leslie Shay?
German’s Shay was killed off in season 3.
What happened to Shay in Season 2 Episode 20?
