From the moment word first broke that LaRoyce Hawkins would be exiting Chicago PD after 13 seasons playing Officer Kevin Atwater, fans have been trying to make sense of the news. Hawkins has been an integral part of the show’s ensemble from the very beginning, and there were no hints of Atwater leaving the show as season 13 drew to a close. In fact, the final Atwater-centric episode of the season actually alleviated fans’ worries that Hawkins was exiting the show.
For a time, fans were worried that Atwater might leave Chicago to move to Miami after he found out that Tasha was pregnant. However, in Chicago PD season 13, episode 18, Atwater and Tasha seemed to make a plan for her to move back to Chicago so that they could get to know one another better and make a true run at a real relationship—a conversation that included a confession from Tasha about how she hates Miami.
It seemed like the plan was for Chicago PD season 14 to further explore the pair’s relationship as they prepared to become parents together, and we were excited about the prospect of getting to see Tasha more frequently in the new season. That’s why it was so shocking when Deadline broke the news that Hawkins would be exiting the show after 13 seasons, with the plan being for him to return for two to three episodes at the top of the season to give Atwater an on-screen exit.
Hawkins has yet to release a statement about his forthcoming exit, and no details were provided in the initial report as to whether Hawkins requested to step away from the show or if this was a creative decision made by the show's writers. As such, fans have been left without any real answers surrounding his exit; however, a new message from Hawkins’ co-star suggests his exit was not his decision.
Karen Obilom hints LaRoyce Hawkins did not request to leave Chicago PD
While we’ve yet to hear from Hawkins or any of his longtime co-stars, Karen Obilom has broken her silence in a message that subtly hints the decision was not one made by Hawkins.
Fans quickly took to social media to express their shock and displeasure in the news, including one fan whose emotional message of support caught Obilom’s attention. Obilom reposted the message on her Instagram Stories and added a special thank you to the fan for supporting FoxWater—the fans' ship name for Fox and Atwater. She also seemed to suggest that the decision was not one made by Hawkins, but rather one that was made by the creative team.
“Thank you for always supporting. I didn't think it'd hit me this hard. But LaRoyce is such a class act and I sincerely wish things were different. We all do. But this means better things are in the horizon for our friend,” read the message.
Obilom’s remarks certainly have gotten fans talking.
"Yeah, from the way this reads, this absolutely was a network decision,” replied one fan who picked the post up and shared it on X.
“If this was a network decision, then it's baffling to me. What an awful choice; Kevin deserved his time to shine, and compared to so many other characters, he wasn't given the opportunity," added another frustrated fan.
The fans’ frustration is more than justified, as this is perhaps the most baffling decision the show has made. We understand when cast exits come as the result of an actor wanting to leave the series, but it doesn’t sound like it was Hawkins’ decision to leave, and the decision to write him out of the show could not come at a worse time.
As fans have pointed out, the show was just about to give Atwater a chance at an actual relationship that could go the distance and give Atwater a strong new storyline in exploring his journey to becoming a father. It’s a shame that we won’t get to see Atwater take this journey or to see his and Tasha’s relationship blossom on the show.
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