Murder Charges follow Chicago Firefighter’s Death
Sheaves Slate has been charged with murder in Chicago Firefigher’s Death, stemming from the March 16th death of Michael Altman.
By Rebecca Martin
A man with a history of self-harm, depression and arson has been detained for setting a fire that caused the death of a Chicago fireman on March 16, 2026. Sheaves Slate, 27, of Avondale, will be facing trial for first degree murder, aggravated arson and residential arson. While the public defender argued against Slate’s detainment on the grounds that Slate’s criminal activity was a relatively “new development” in his mental illness and that a treatment facility should be located that could house Slate, many felt that detainment was imperative and agreed with the judge’s decision.
Michael Altman, the grandson of a former Chicago Fire Commissioner, was killed in a fire in which a man is now charged with murder.
Firefighter Michael Altman was a fourth-generation firefighter who had been with the department for less than two years. He was the grandson of a former Chicago Fire Commissioner, Edward Altman. He was a husband and father of one, with another baby on the way. On March 16, a Monday morning, he was called to a fire in a residential building in the Rogers Park neighborhood on the 1700 block of North Shore Avenue.
Chicago Firefighter Succumbs to His Injuries
He was severely injured during his preliminary search of the first floor when the floor underneath him collapsed into the basement where the fire had originated. On Tuesday, he was pronounced dead.
Senator Tammy Duckworth posted on Facebook “Heartbroken to learn that Chicago Firefighter Michael Altman died in the line of duty fighting a fire in Rogers Park yesterday. I’m thankful for his courage and sacrifice to keep Chicagoans safe, and my thoughts are with his young child and pregnant wife, loved ones and the entire Chicago Fire Dept. community during this incredibly difficult time.”; A sentiment shared by the city of Chicago and the nation over the loss of a first responder and hero.
The events leading up to the death of Michael Altman are unfortunately part of a story line which seems all too familiar in many tragedies, where “what if” becomes a placeholder for chapters.
Charges in Chicago Fire Fighter’s Death
Mike Pekara, the Assistant States Attorney, recounted in court how Slate had visited the three-story building repeatedly in the months leading up to the fire and residents had reported to the property manager that he was trespassing in the basement just two weeks before the fire. He had not resided in the building for nine months prior to the incident.
On March 15, around 10:30 PM he was seen on a Ring video approaching his former apartment on the third floor. He confronted the new tenants, demanding to speak to his former roommate, and became angry when they could not produce the roommate. The loud confrontation caused one resident to phone the police, but they canceled the request when it appeared that Slate had left the building.
Camera footage told a different story. He was seen walking up and down the stairs and at one point, sleeping in front of his former apartment. One tenant eventually forced him to leave around 4 AM.
Undeterred, Slate entered the basement through a broken window, which he had done on other occasions, intending to spend the rest of the morning in the boiler room. At some point, Slate made the decision to use a handheld lighter to set a mattress stored in the basement on fire. His intent is in question. He alleges that he intended the smoke to cause harm to himself, but was his intent aimed at himself or at the other residents? I do question why the property manager would have left a mattress in the basement when tenants in the building had complained that he was clearly trespassing in the basement. Surely measures could have been taken to secure that area.
Once Slate had ignited the mattress, the fire grew rapidly out of control and he exited the room and placed a door in front of the room to hide the fire and smoke and left, making no effort to alert the residents.
Attorney Pekara said that Slate was seen walking into an alley and taking a bus to downtown where he stopped to make changes to his appearance with a change of clothes and even going so far as to dye his hair from orange to brown. He was eventually arrested at a hospital where he had checked himself in for suicidal ideation. He told officers during his interview that he had set the fire because he “wanted to die.”
His actions had even more dire consequences. As firefighters entered the basement to battle the fire, they were forced to remove the door that Slate had put in place to “hide the fire” and as a result the basement ceiling collapsed. Altman, who was on the first floor above, fell into the basement and was engulfed in flames which led to his death the following day.
The seven residents of the building at the time of the fire were all able to get out safely without injury. https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-rogers-park-fire-firefighter-dies-amid-blaze-1700-block-west-north-shore-avenue-clark-sources-says/18725366/
Slate admitted that he had set two previous fires at camps he had lived at. 45th Ward Ald. Jim Gardner raised a point which warrants consideration; Slate had some history of setting fires, and his behavior appeared to be escalating. This point really does illuminate the question of intent; whether it was a case of self-harm or was aimed at harming others.
Tragically, whatever the intent, the city has lost a 32-year-old-firefighter in such a senseless way and brought a tragedy to the lives of his pregnant wife and child. We thank him for his selfless service to the community he served.
“Firemen never know what they will encounter on each call but proceed with the same level of commitment and service.”– Byron Pulsifer.
Credits to the Chicago Tribune:
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