A 59-year-old man is in custody after allegedly stealing an ambulance outside a Chicago hospital, leading police on a dangerous chase through city streets that left several people injured.
Authorities confirmed [1] that the incident unfolded Sunday outside Loretto Hospital on the city’s West Side.
According to police, the suspect, identified as Lamont Hill, was a patient at the hospital when he exited the building, entered an unoccupied ambulance parked nearby, and drove off.
Video footage from the scene showed the stolen ambulance slamming head-on into a police vehicle moments after Hill took control of it.
Officers can be heard firing shots as the vehicle sped away, followed by multiple police cruisers in pursuit.
A man stole an ambulance in Chicago over the weekend, injuring multiple people and smashing into cars.
The “Civilian Office of Police Accountability” is now investigating the officer who fired his weapon, and he’s been placed on administrative duty.
A total joke of a city. pic.twitter.com/DBjKCvK5a9 [2]
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) November 9, 2025 [3]
Chicago police said an officer discharged a firearm during the chase but confirmed that no one was struck.
A paramedic who was sitting in the passenger seat of the ambulance managed to escape the vehicle a few blocks from the hospital.
Authorities reported that Hill continued driving recklessly through the area, striking multiple vehicles before eventually crashing and attempting to flee on foot.
Officers quickly apprehended him after a short pursuit on the ground.
Chicago Police said three officers and four civilians sustained injuries in the collisions and were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
None of the injuries were reported to be life-threatening.
The ambulance and several other vehicles involved in the incident were heavily damaged.
Hill is now facing 19 felony charges, including two counts of aggravated battery on a police officer, aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated fleeing and eluding, and multiple counts of criminal damage to property.
Police said additional charges could follow as the investigation continues.
Witnesses described the chaotic scene as the ambulance sped away from the hospital, hitting several vehicles in its path.
“It just came out of nowhere,” one resident told NBC5 Chicago.
“You could hear the sirens, the screeching tires, and then the crash. It was like something out of a movie.”
Police radio traffic captured during the incident indicated that officers were ordered to use caution due to the stolen emergency vehicle’s size and speed.
The chase lasted only a few minutes but caused significant damage to several vehicles along the route.
Black man stole an ambulance from Loretto Hospital in Chicago on Friday afternoon.
He reportedly fired on police from inside the vehicle.
The suspect eventually crashed into a squad car (01:35) and was tackled by a gang of cops.
(nbcchicago on TT) pic.twitter.com/eoGGdu1EsG [4]
— Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) November 8, 2025 [5]
In a statement Monday, the Chicago Police Department confirmed the timeline of events and praised officers for acting quickly to contain the situation.
“Officers responded immediately and worked to prevent further harm to the public,” the department said.
“The suspect was taken into custody without further injury.”
The Chicago Fire Department also released a statement confirming that one of its ambulances had been stolen and that the incident remains under investigation in coordination with police.
“Our personnel responded appropriately under dangerous conditions,” the department said.
“We are grateful that our paramedics and bystanders were not more seriously harmed.”
Hill is currently being held in Cook County Jail pending a bond hearing.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials said a full report on the incident and response procedures will be released after the department’s internal review is complete.