CHICAGO — A man who was shot during an early morning altercation in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood lay bleeding for nearly 14 minutes before police could find him — a delay some say could have been prevented if the city hadn’t shut down its ShotSpotter gunfire detection system.
The incident occurred around 5 a.m. Wednesday when the victim called 911, reporting he had been shot in the stomach near 78th Street and Ashland Avenue. But due to confusion about his exact location, the call taker struggled to direct officers effectively.
Confusing Location Delays Search
While trying to describe his surroundings, the victim mentioned being on a back porch across from a currency exchange. At one point, he guessed he might be near 78th and Laflin, noting a barking dog as a clue. Officers used their patrol lights to comb the area, but it wasn’t until 5:23 a.m. — nearly 14 minutes after the initial dispatch — that one officer heard the man scream and located him in the 1500 block of West 78th Street.
At the scene, police recovered a box of ammunition and a phone possibly belonging to the shooter.
ShotSpotter Controversy Resurfaces
The case is the latest entry in the “Brandon’s Bodies” series, a running log of incidents where critics argue victims might have been found faster if ShotSpotter had been active. The system was decommissioned by Mayor Brandon Johnson last fall, despite calls from a City Council supermajority, community leaders, and even Johnson’s handpicked police superintendent to extend the program.
ShotSpotter had previously operated in 12 high-violence neighborhoods, including Auburn Gresham. Advocates say it allowed officers to respond to shootings more quickly, even without 911 calls. Opponents argued it produced false alerts and disproportionately affected minority communities.
Political and Community Response
Ald. David Moore (17th), who represents the area, has been an outspoken supporter of ShotSpotter and criticized the mayor’s decision. “If that system was active, officers would have been guided directly to the scene,” one community advocate commented in frustration on social media.
The city continues to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of gunshot detection systems amid broader debates about police reform, surveillance, and public safety technologies.
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