In the early hours of Sunday morning, a man in West Englewood flagged down a passing motorist for help after being shot inside a garage. Surprisingly, no one had called 911 to report the gunfire in the area. The incident took place in the 6100 block of South Damen, an area previously monitored by the ShotSpotter gunfire detection network until Mayor Brandon Johnson terminated the contract in September.
According to Chicago police, the 18-year-old victim claimed he was shot by a man inside the garage before the suspect fled the scene around 12:10 a.m. The victim sustained three gunshot wounds to his legs and was transported to the University of Chicago Hospital in good condition.
Alderman Stephanie Coleman, representing the 16th Ward which includes the block where the shooting occurred, had advocated for the retention of ShotSpotter technology. She, along with the majority of the city’s aldermen, had urged Mayor Johnson to keep the system in place. However, despite recommendations from the police superintendent and public support, Johnson decided to eliminate ShotSpotter without a replacement strategy.
The “Brandon’s Bodies” reporting series aims to highlight cases of shooting victims and police investigations that could have benefited from gunshot detection technology. It sheds light on the consequences of dismantling such crucial tools in violence-impacted neighborhoods.
For any tips or information related to this series, you can contact CWBChicago anonymously via email at news@cwbchicago.com. Stay informed and stay safe.
