A 15-year-old boy was shot in the chest while standing near a sidewalk in Englewood on Friday afternoon, according to Chicago police. The incident took place in the 1000 block of West Garfield around 2:15 p.m., and the boy was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in good condition.
Despite the lack of calls reporting shots fired in the area, officers responded to the scene. Unfortunately, ShotSpotter, the gunfire detection system previously used in the neighborhood, was no longer in operation after Mayor Brandon Johnson ended the city’s contract with the company on September 23.
Ald. Stephanie Coleman (16th), who represents the neighborhood, expressed disappointment in the absence of ShotSpotter, a tool that could have helped locate the crime scene and potentially save lives. Coleman and other city officials attempted to secure funding to reinstate ShotSpotter, but the Johnson administration has yet to accept the offer.
The termination of the ShotSpotter program has raised concerns about the city’s ability to effectively respond to gun violence in communities like Englewood. The “Brandon’s Bodies” reporting series aims to highlight cases where the absence of gunshot detection technology may have impacted police investigations and victim outcomes.
Moving forward, the community continues to advocate for the reinstatement of ShotSpotter or similar technologies to address gun violence in Chicago’s most vulnerable neighborhoods. The need for reliable tools to combat crime and protect residents remains a top priority for city officials and community leaders.
