Does Rachel Die in This City Is Ours?
Rachel’s sudden shooting is one of Season 2’s biggest shocks. Here is what happens, who pulls the trigger and why her death changes the Phelan family.
Major Season 2 spoilers below
Does Rachel survive the shooting?
No. Rachel Duffy, played by Laura Aikman, dies in Episode 5 of This City Is Ours Season 2. Freddie fires at Jamie Phelan outside an engagement party but hits Rachel instead. She is rushed to hospital, where she dies from the injury.
It is not another fake-out death like Banksey’s earlier storyline. Rachel is gone, and the rest of the season follows what her family does about it. The Season 2 shooting explained by Radio Times confirms her fate.
Freddie shoots her by mistake. His intended target is Jamie Phelan.
Who shoots Rachel, and why?
The shooting is the result of Freddie being manipulated into taking revenge. Rachel is caught in the middle.
Ozzie turns Freddie against the Phelans
Ozzie Thompson exploits Freddie’s belief that his father Banksey has been killed. Freddie comes to think Jamie Phelan should pay for it.
Freddie approaches the nightclub
As Jamie and Melissa’s engagement party ends, Freddie waits outside with a gun. Jamie is the person he wants to shoot.
Rachel is hit instead of Jamie
Freddie opens fire, but his shot strikes Rachel. Michael and the family try to get her medical help. The injury proves fatal.
The sequence is covered in the Episode 5 recap and Radio Times’ analysis.
Why does Rachel’s death hit the Phelans so hard?
Rachel is not just another member of the gang. She has spent years handling its finances and wants to help lead the business rather than remain in the background. Season 2 finally gives her more influence, even as it strains her relationships within the family.
Her death comes just as she is taking up more space in the organisation. It also leaves her husband Bobby Duffy grieving and the Phelans furious. Radio Times’ look at the women of Season 2 explores why her storyline matters beyond the shooting itself.
What makes it especially cruel: Rachel was not Freddie’s target. A feud she did not start ends up costing her life.
What happens after Rachel dies?
The Phelan family wants the shooter found. When Ozzie sells them information about Freddie, Bobby and Jamie try to track him down. Freddie escapes and eventually hands himself in to the police rather than continue running.
In the finale, Michael argues that Freddie pulled the trigger but Ozzie drove him towards it. The Phelans turn their revenge on Ozzie. That does not undo what Freddie did, and Rachel’s death remains a turning point for the family. The Season 2 ending recap explains how the reckoning unfolds.
Which episode should you watch?
Season 2, Episode 5 contains the shooting and Rachel’s final scenes. The aftermath begins in Episode 6 and continues through the finale.
All eight episodes are available on BBC iPlayer. For UK viewers, iPlayer does not have a separate streaming subscription, although you must be covered by a TV Licence. Our BBC iPlayer TV Licence guide explains the rule.
In short
Rachel dies after Freddie accidentally shoots her while targeting Jamie in Episode 5. Her death drives the Phelans’ search for revenge and changes the direction of the Season 2 finale.
Frequently asked questions
Does Rachel Duffy die in This City Is Ours Season 2?
Yes. Rachel dies from her injuries after Freddie shoots her outside Jamie and Melissa’s engagement party in Season 2, Episode 5.
Who shoots Rachel in This City Is Ours?
Freddie, played by Adam Abbou, shoots Rachel. He is trying to hit Jamie Phelan, so Rachel is not his intended target.
Who plays Rachel Duffy in This City Is Ours?
Laura Aikman plays Rachel Duffy, a senior figure in the Phelan family’s criminal organisation and Bobby Duffy’s wife.
Hasnaat Mahmood
Hasnaat founded FindCheapStreaming and writes about TV dramas, film stories and the streaming services that carry them.