what happened to elliot on law and order special victims unit
Elliot Stabler
In the season 12 finale , Stabler is forced to shoot and kill a young woman who opens fire in the Special Victims squad room . Before dying in Stabler 's arms , she had killed two suspects involved in the rape and murder of her mother and injured a third , as well as killing recurring character Sister Peg ( Charlayne Woodard ) . After the shootout , Stabler is placed on administrative leave by IAB . Although he is eventually cleared , it is nonetheless his sixth career `` good shooting '' and according to Cragen , IAB `` wants to go over his entire jacket ... if Elliot wants to keep his job , he 's gon na have to submit to a psych eval , anger management , a lot of hoops . '' Confirming Benson 's assurance that he will instead tell them to `` go to hell '' , Stabler subsequently retires from the police force off screen during the thirteenth - season premiere . Benson and Cragen agree that he 's earned it `` and then some '' . Nevertheless , Benson is quietly devastated by his resignation as she breaks down sobbing in the interrogation room . 
In the season 12 finale , Stabler is forced to shoot and kill a young woman who opens fire in the Special Victims squad room . Before dying in Stabler 's arms , she had killed two suspects involved in the rape and murder of her mother and injured a third , as well as killing recurring character Sister Peg ( Charlayne Woodard ) . After the shootout , Stabler is placed on administrative leave by IAB . Although he is eventually cleared , it is nonetheless his sixth career `` good shooting '' and according to Cragen , IAB `` wants to go over his entire jacket ... if Elliot wants to keep his job , he 's gon na have to submit to a psych eval , anger management , a lot of hoops . '' Confirming Benson 's assurance that he will instead tell them to `` go to hell '' , Stabler subsequently retires from the police force off screen during the thirteenth - season premiere . Benson and Cragen agree that he 's earned it `` and then some '' . Nevertheless , Benson is quietly devastated by his resignation as she breaks down sobbing in the interrogation room .
In the season 12 finale, Elliot Stabler is forced to shoot and kill a young woman who opens fire in the Special Victims squad room.  After the shootout, Stabler is placed on administrative leave by IAB.  Stabler subsequently retires from the police force off screen during the thirteenth - season premiere.
In the season 12 finale , Stabler is forced to shoot and kill a young woman who opens fire in the Special Victims squad room . After the shootout , Stabler is placed on administrative leave by IAB . Confirming Benson 's assurance that he will instead tell them to `` go to hell '' , Stabler subsequently retires from the police force off screen during the thirteenth - season premiere .