Fans were surprised, shocked, and heartbroken when Erika dies at the end of the last episode of 'S.W.A.T.' They just didn't see it coming. Here's what happened.

Warning: S.W.A.T. spoilers ahead!

Episode 8, Season 4 of S.W.A.T. was an intense one: Fans had to say goodbye to a beloved member of the S.W.A.T. team. We already knew we'd likely be losing someone big...and that someone turned out to be Erika. "I'm not ready to see Erika pass away. She's so sweet. Her death shocked me. I literally had shivers," a fan tweeted after the episode aired.

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Tonight's episode of S.W.A.T. will grapple with the aftermath of Erika's death. But if you need a refresher, here's what you need to know.

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What happened to Erika on 'S.W.A.T.'?

In the last few minutes of the episode, we realized it was Erika, who was filling in for Deacon, who died from an injury on the field. The S.W.A.T. team was able to take down another Imperial Duke and they gun him down at his house (he tricked them by shooting at them through the roof). However, he returned fire, and he shot at Tan (he survived). As Tan receives help, Erika realizes she's been fatally shot and falls. 

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It's extra tragic, since she was planning on moving in with Chris and had such a bright future ahead of her. Plus, fans didn't see her death coming at all. It had an extra heavy significance, since the team was up against the home of white supremacists, whose hatred and violence directly led to the death of Erika, a woman of color. 

Why did Lyndie Greenwood leave 'SWAT'?

As of now, it doesn't seem like Lyndie Greenwood left S.W.A.T. for any specific reason. The actress wrote, "Thanks for watching Erika’s journey on @swatcbs y’all! Was a fun ride with a great crew." After three years, it seems like her character had to be killed off to make an important statement. There doesn't seem to be any dispute between the S.W.A.T. showrunners and Lyndie, nor is Lyndie working on any conflicting projects, according to her IMDb page.

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It's possible that Lyndie is taking some time off to travel. In October 2020, she posted an Instagram of her new camper as a wedding gift. "Dear Old Dad (@greenwood_larry ) bought us a Dank Old Camper as a wedding gift. Can’t wait to start fixing this puppy up!" she wrote in the caption. 

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Lyndie has had a busy schedule the last few years, so it's also possible she's taking a break. Most recently, she played Dr. Elvi Okoye in The Expanse, Megan Jetter in the series Star, Jenny Mills in Sleepy Hollow, and Sonya in Nikita. Fun fact: Lyndie played the Roots Manager in an episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation in 2012.

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The actress and SWAT character will certainly be missed, though. "Oh. My. God. Tomorrow episode so emotional heartbreaking. Can't wait #SWAT team grieving Erika's death," one person tweeted.

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"So, sounds like the aftermath of Erika's death in the last episode. SWAT members dealing with that tragic loss," another tweeted.

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"Why Erika???" a fan tweeted, and we all have the same question.

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"they really had to go and kill Erika like that i’m actually crying wtf," one person wrote. That's all of us right now.

Watch S.W.A.T. every Thursday night on CBS at 10 p.m. EST.

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