End of an era. “Chicago P.D.” star LaRoyce Hawkins is bidding goodbye to the long-running NBC drama, reported Deadline. Hawkins, who has been with the show as Officer Kevin Atwater since its inception in 2014, will wrap up his character’s storyline in the first two or three episodes of the upcoming Season 14. Yes, you read that correctly.
Although the makers have kept the details about how his character will exit the series under wraps, sources suggest it will happen in the early part of the season. Currently, Chicago P.D. is casting a new series regular, a Black cop who is an agent of chaos.
In addition to his work in “Chicago PD,” Hawkins has played Atwater in various crossovers with the other “One Chicago” shows on NBC.
Chicago PD Cast Changes
Cast changes have become a familiar part of Chicago P.D. in recent years. Ahead of Season 13, Toya Turner exited after one season as Officer Kiana Cook, while Arienne Mandi joined the cast as Officer Eva Imani.
Hawkins’ departure follows the exits of several major cast members in recent years, including Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos, marking another significant change for the long-running drama.
Longtime fan favorite character Kevin Atwater has been a cornerstone of Hank Voight’s Intelligence Unit throughout the show’s run, serving alongside officers including Adam Ruzek, Kim Burgess, Dante Torres, and Eva Imani. While the detective has often put his career ahead of his personal life, Season 13 finally gave viewers a meaningful romantic storyline.
What Happened In the Last Episode?
In Episode 5, Atwater rekindled his connection with Officer Tasha Fox (Karen Obilom), a longtime friend whose relationship with him quickly turned romantic. However, the reunion was bittersweet as Tasha revealed she would be relocating to Miami within a week for a new job.
Before leaving, she quietly slipped away while Atwater was asleep. She left behind an orange, a symbolic nod to Florida’s Sunshine State and an open invitation for him to join her.
As the season progressed, Atwater struggled with whether to reconnect. He repeatedly drafted messages telling Tasha he missed her but never found the courage to send them, suggesting he was torn between his career in Chicago and the possibility of a new life elsewhere.
The storyline took a dramatic turn in Episode 11 when Tasha unexpectedly returned to Chicago and revealed she is pregnant with Atwater’s child. The revelation has fueled speculation that Atwater may ultimately leave Chicago to start a family in Miami, potentially marking the end of Hawkins’ long-running tenure on the series.
Season 13 stars Jason Beghe, Patrick John Flueger, Marina Squerciati, Benjamin Levy Aguilar, Amy Morton, and Arienne Mandi. The series is produced by Universal Television in association with Wolf Entertainment, with Dick Wolf, Peter Jankowski, Anastasia Puglisi, Gwen Sigan, Chad Saxton, Gavin Harris, and Jason Beghe serving as executive producers.
