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Dirksen Federal Building Locked Down as FBI and SWAT Secure Lobby

Closure of surrounding streets has snarled traffic in the Chicago Loop during the ongoing response.

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Credit: Oak Park Fire Department
A person with a knife can be seen inside the lobby of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on July 22, 2025. The building was placed on lockdown. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • The FBI confirmed the federal courthouse was placed on lockdown shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday.
  • A court spokesperson said the incident is confined to the building’s lobby with no other areas affected.
  • U.S. Marshals and Chicago police joined FBI and SWAT teams to secure the scene.
  • Starting at 11:30 a.m., authorities closed multiple streets around the courthouse, triggering major traffic jams.
  • The Dirksen Federal Building houses U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts and operates under heightened security protocols.