The saddest deaths in The Rookie, explored

The Rookie Season 1 aired on October 16, 2018, on ABC, and since then, it has been one of the longest-running police procedural shows on the network. The plot involves the story of John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), a man in his 40s who becomes the oldest rookie in the LAPD squad.

Created by Alexi Hawley, the cast includes Richard T. Jones, Melissa O'Neil, Mekia Cox, Eric Winter, and Alyssa Diaz, to name a few. The police procedural is based on the true story of real-life officer LAPD officer William Norcross, who joinedthe Los Angeles Police Department in his mid-40s.

The Rookie has delivered many heart-wrenching moments through the death of the various characters on the show. Here's a list of the saddest deaths in The Rookie.

Disclaimer: The ranking is subjective.

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Captain Zoe Anderson

Played by Mercedes Mason, Captain Zoe Anderson was the former Marine and Pentagon officer who became a prominent figure in The Rookie Season 1. However, in Season 1 Episode 16, called Greenlight, she was kidnapped by a criminal gang. In a heroic scene, Anderson killed several gang members after she freed herself from the chair, which was thrown into a swimming pool. However, she was shot in the neck by the gang leader, Cole Midas.

Nolan tried to rescue Anderson from the swimming pool and even gave her CPR, but she could not survive. Captain Anderson's death came as a shock to the viewers as she was one of the very few members of the LAPD who saw potential in John Nolan despite his age and took him under her leadership.

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Officer Jackson West

Officer Jackson West, portrayed by Titus Makin Jr., was killed in The Rookie Season 4 Episode 1, titled "Life and Death." By the end of Season 3, we see West and his fellow LAPD officers being targeted by drug lords. In the finale episode, we witness Angela and Welsey's wedding disrupted as West and Lopez are kidnapped.

During the premiere of Season 4, through the CCTV footage, it was clear that Jackson was kidnapped by criminals working for Sandra De La Cruz (La Fiera). The CCTV footage showed how he was pushed into a car at gunpoint. Even though his death was not shown on screen, the footage shows that he was killed. On the other hand, Angela was kept alive as La Fiera decided to keep the unborn baby.

However, Jackson was killed in the altercation. He scratched his killer, leaving DNA in his nails. The team rescued Angela from Guatemala from the drug lords, and even with the help of the DNA, they found West's killer, who was a 17-year-old gang member. Angela gave birth to her baby and named him Jackson to honor her fallen teammate.

The sudden decision to kill Jackson West was made after Titus Makin Jr. chose to leave the show. The showrunners thought instead of recasting, it was better to opt for an offscreen death of the character.

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Detective Nick Armstrong

In The Rookie, Nick Armstrong, acted by Harold Perrineau, played the role of a detective with a corrupt side. He was gradually exposed as a cop working for the crime lord Serj Darien.

Initially, he was seen as a trustworthy officer but soon it was revealed he was a dirty cop. In the Season 3 premiere, "Consequences," he was shot by Officer John Nolan during a confrontation. Even though he survived initially, he later succumbed to his injuries.

His death was impactful and significant, if not a tragic one. He wasn't a hero but a mentor turned antagonist.

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Officer Erin Cole

Portrayed by Hannah Kasulka, Erin Cole tragically died in Season 2 Episode 19, "The Q Word." She was one of the rookies in the LAPD, along with Nolan, Jackson, and Lucy. However, she suffered several internal struggles that made her work as a mole in the LAPD and was working for Serj Derians.

The detectives tracked her down when she acknowledged that she was the mole in the department, as Derians helped her financially by paying off debts. John Nolan wanted Cole to testify against Derians but was shot dead by Armstrong. Even though her death was not as tragic as others, it was due to her struggles that she had to become a mole in the department and was later blackmailed and threatened by the Derians, too.

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Officer Chris Rios

Officer Chris Rios, played by Christopher O'Shea, was a fellow rookie of LAPD who graduated from the Police Academy with Lucy Chen, John Nolan, and Jackson West. Even though the viewers do not see much of Officer Rios, we do get to see a friendly competition between Jackson West and him. In Season 2 Episode 19, titled "The Q Word," the rookies were celebrating their last month before their anticipated promotion when Rios appeared too amped up when he was responding to a hit-and-run chase.

In a chase and run case, despite the training officer Greg Serano Martinez's warnings, Rios followed the car and asked the driver to show his hands. Rios' life was cut short when he was shot three times in broad daylight by Serj Derian (Themo Melikidze), a crime lord of the Derian family. Even though he was rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.

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Other deaths that were not tragic but led to significant changes in the storyline were that of Rosalind Dyers, an intelligent serial killer, and her protege Caleb Wright.

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