Mayor Brandon Johnson’s resolution to close down Chicago’s ShotSpotter gunfire detection community seems to have delayed emergency responses to 2 extra shootings since Christmas night time, leaving one man lifeless and one other critically wounded after neither incident triggered instant 911 calls reporting gunfire.
Each shootings occurred in areas that have been beforehand coated by ShotSpotter sensors, which had routinely alerted police to gunfire even when no witnesses known as for assist.
At about 10:10 p.m. on Christmas night time, a Chicago police officer reported listening to gunfire to the south and west of the Grand Crossing (third) District station at 7040 South Cottage Grove Avenue, in line with CPD radio transmissions.
Roughly three minutes later, a 911 caller reported a person mendacity on the bottom within the 7400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue. Police arrived to seek out an unidentified grownup man, believed to be between 30 and 35 years outdated, unresponsive close to the handle.
Investigators stated the person had been driving a bicycle when he was shot within the again and proper armpit. Paramedics transported him to the College of Chicago Hospital, the place he was later pronounced lifeless.
The sufferer was unable to offer any data to officers earlier than his dying, police stated. As of Friday morning, nobody had been taken into custody, and Space One detectives are investigating.
Just a few hours later, one other taking pictures sufferer was found on the South Facet after gunfire once more went unreported.
Round 3:15 a.m., a College of Chicago police officer discovered a 31-year-old man affected by a gunshot wound within the 6300 block of South Dorchester Avenue, in line with preliminary data. U of C police notified CPD, who responded to the scene and decided the sufferer had been shot throughout an armed theft.
In response to an officer who reviewed surveillance footage, the sufferer was standing at a bus cease when a silver sedan pulled up round 3:12 a.m. Three males have been contained in the car, and two received out and tried to rob him, the officer stated. A battle adopted, throughout which the offenders dragged the person into the road, beat him, after which shot him within the again, police stated. The offenders fled the scene within the silver sedan.
Paramedics transported the sufferer to the College of Chicago Hospital, the place he remained in important situation Friday morning.
Neither taking pictures initially generated a 911 name reporting gunfire, elevating renewed questions on how shortly police and paramedics can attain taking pictures victims with out automated gunfire alerts in neighborhoods that when relied on ShotSpotter know-how.
As of 12:01 a.m. on September 23, 2024, Chicago ended its use of ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection system that had been deployed in 12 of town’s most violence-impacted neighborhoods. The know-how recognized suspected gunfire places all the way down to particular addresses and even pinpointed spots like alleys, sidewalks, or the aspect of a home.
Mayor Brandon Johnson refused to reverse his resolution to dismantle the system, regardless of calls to protect it from a majority of aldermen, quite a few residents, victims’ advocates, and his personal appointed police superintendent.
On this web page, CWBChicago tracks circumstances the place folks have been discovered shot in areas that have been beforehand coated by ShotSpotter with out well timed accompanying 911 calls. These circumstances usually contain victims found with no corresponding 911 calls or calls that gave obscure or incorrect details about the place photographs have been fired.
Editor’s observe: Case #13 was faraway from this checklist on Could 21, 2025, after the Prepare dinner County Medical Examiner’s Workplace decided the person died by suicide in a fall from peak.
