Detectives Amaro and Rollins leave a party and stumble upon Officer McKenna in pursuit of a suspected drug dealer. A standoff leads to gunfire and the teenaged suspect is gravely wounded. While Amaro struggles to reconcile his by-the-book actions with his conscience, the SVU fights to keep Internal Affairs from jumping to conclusions. The case becomes a public spectacle and Amaro must decide if fighting for his badge is the best decision for his family. Meanwhile, Captain Cragen makes a surprise announcement.

Sixteen year-old Avery Capshaw's parents report her kidnapped, and the SVU finds signs of a party turned violent. Her boyfriend, Manny Montero, is a scholarship student from the Projects, and though his family swears he's on the right track, Amaro suspects he's involved with a dangerous gang. When Manny refuses to talk, the cops are forced to arrest him, but the violence only escalates. Meanwhile, Benson is sworn in as the SVU's new sergeant.