‘Chicago P.D.’ Shocker: LaRoyce Hawkins Exiting in Season 14

Chicago P.D. is losing an original cast member soon after it returns for its 14th season this fall.

LaRoyce Hawkins, who has starred as Officer Kevin Atwater on the series since it premiered in 2014, will only be appearing in the first two or three episodes, which will write out his character, Deadline reports. The premiere airs on Wednesday, October 7, which means that he’d be exiting in the October 14 or 21 episode, barring any preemptions (which usually don’t occur that early in a season).

The outlet also has details on his replacement, as the series will be bringing in a new series regular, a Black cop described as “an agent of chaos.”

The good news is there may already be a happy reason written into the show to explain Atwater’s exit: He’s having a baby with fellow officer Tasha Fox (Karen Obilom), whom he connected with in Season 13 before she moved to Miami. She did eventually return to Chicago and revealed she was pregnant. The two were still figuring out what their future together looks like when Season 13 ended, but we could easily see them leaving Chicago, whether it’s for Miami or somewhere else, to raise their baby together. It just doesn’t feel like P.D. would kill off Atwater considering how long it took for him to find some semblance of luck and happiness in his love life.

Hawkins isn’t the first original cast member to leave the series; there has been quite a bit of changeover on P.D. over its 13 seasons. When the series premiered, it starred Jason Beghe, Jon Seda, Sophia Bush, Jesse Lee Soffer, Patrick John Flueger, Marina Squerciati, Hawkins, Archie Kao, and Elias Koteas. Amy Morton recurred and was promoted to series regular in Season 2.

Chicago P.D. currently stars Beghe, Squerciati, Flueger, Morton, Benjamin Levy Aguilar, and Arienne Mandi.

Chicago P.D., Season 14 Premiere, Wednesday, October 7, 10/9c, NBC