On March 17, 2025, 13-year-old Amari Williams, an African American boy and eighth-grade student at Mason Elementary School in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood, was found fatally shot in the backyard of an apartment building located in the 1500 block of South Kildare Avenue. Chicago police officers discovered his body around 2:10 a.m. while on patrol, after his mother reported him missing when he failed to return home the previous evening.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Amari died from multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head.
Notably, no 911 calls were made to report the gunfire, and the area where Amari was found had previously been monitored by ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system. However, the city ended its contract with ShotSpotter in September 2024, leaving the neighborhood without this technology. Alderman Monique Scott of the 24th Ward expressed concern that the absence of ShotSpotter may have delayed the discovery of Amari's body, stating that such technology could have alerted authorities to the shooting sooner.
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with Amari Williams' death, and the investigation remains ongoing. Area Four detectives are leading the inquiry, seeking information from the public to identify the individual or individuals responsible for this tragic incident.
