Dr. Olga Duchon, a highly regarded 42-year-old endocrinologist from Vernon Hills, was tragically shot and killed Sunday night in what authorities are investigating as a domestic incident in Barrington, Illinois. Police arrested a suspect at the scene and removed a young child from the residence.
Dr. Duchon had just returned from a talk with a Ukrainian medical group in Wheeling earlier that day when the incident occurred. Officers responded to the 400 block of West Russell Street, where they found Duchon with a gunshot wound to the chest. Despite being rushed to the hospital, she succumbed to her injuries.
A suspect was detained outside the home and a 2-year-old child, allegedly Duchon’s daughter with the suspect, was escorted from the scene. Neighbors expressed surprise and disbelief. “It was very shocking,” Alex Paretes said. “That doesn’t happen in Barrington; “It’s very strange.” Another neighbor, Juliana Etling, shared that she had not heard gunshots, but noticed unusual cries from a small child, according to C.B.S..
“My husband heard; I’m pretty sure it was his daughter crying and upset, something we usually don’t hear a lot.” she said. “Shortly after, the police started showing up.” The Barrington Police Department confirmed that the case is being treated as a domestic incident, assuring the community that there is no broader public threat. The Cook County Major Crimes Task Force is leading the ongoing investigation, but no charges have yet been confirmed.
Dr. Duchon, a private practitioner from Mundelein, left Northwestern Medicine in 2023 but continued to treat patients independently. In a statement, Northwest medicine said“We are devastated to hear this news. “Our deepest condolences to his family during this difficult time.”
Dr. Maria Hrycelak of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America recalled seeing Duchon just hours before his death. “She was knowledgeable and personable. It was just the shock. Oh my goodness, this young woman we spoke to yesterday. I shook his hand and he’s gone.
Dr. Duchon left a lasting impression on her patients. A former patient, Virginia Doucet, credited Duchon with saving her life. “She treated me for years,” Doucet said. “I almost had my organs fail and she saw all the symptoms for what they were, instead of rejecting me.” The loss of Dr. Duchon has left her community mourning a senseless tragedy as police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.