Police shot and killed a suicidal woman armed with two knives after she approached officers inside a home in north suburban Mundelein on Monday evening, according to Lake County authorities. The incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. on Ashford Drive, where officers responded to a report of a woman in crisis.
A relative of the woman told police that she was suicidal and expressed a desire for police to kill her. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the woman sitting on the back patio. As police were speaking with her relative, the woman suddenly stood up and moved toward the rear sliding door of the residence, clutching two large knives.
According to the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, the woman began yelling and aggressively opened the sliding door, attempting to enter the home. Fearing a threat to themselves and others, an officer inside the house fired shots, striking her. The woman was subsequently transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where she was pronounced dead.
The woman has been identified as 37-year-old Mary Alice Love of Mundelein. An autopsy conducted by the Lake County Coroner’s Office confirmed she died from multiple gunshot wounds. The incident is under investigation, and authorities have not released further details about the events leading up to the shooting.
Neighbor Karen Minorini described the neighborhood as very quiet, noting she was surprised to hear four gunshots around the time of the incident. Police continue to review evidence and statements to understand the full circumstances of the encounter. The community remains shaken by the sudden and tragic event.
