Long before he opened fire at a Near South Side hospital, Juan Lopez had a documented history of abusive behavior that he sometimes backed up with a gun.
While a trainee at the Chicago Fire Department Academy nearly five years ago, Lopez faced dismissal after being accused of “aggressive and improper conduct” toward women, according to the department. “If I get fired, I’m going to shoot this f------ place up,” he said, according to a firefighter who heard him. Department sources said they were aware of his remarks, but nothing was placed in his file.
Later in the year, Lopez’s wife went to court for an order of protection, contending he had chased after a neighbor with a gun and had threatened to come to her workplace and "cause a scene," according to court records.