Gunshot victim flags down passerby for help in neighborhood previously served by ShotSpotter

CHICAGO — A woman was found shot in Back of the Yards late Friday night, Chicago police said. The victim, who is about 38 years old, waved down a passerby in the 2100 block of West 47th Street to call 911 on her behalf around 11:50 p.m.

CPD had not received any calls of shots fired in the area, which was served by the city’s ShotSpotter network until Mayor Brandon Johnson severed the city’s relations with the company on September 23.

Officers applied a tourniquet to the victim’s arm, slowing her blood loss until EMS arrived. Police said the woman was in good condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital.

Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th) represents the neighborhood where the woman was found. The alderman was among the 33% minority of City Council members who supported Johnson’s decision to end the city’s ShotSpotter service. Most other aldermen whose wards had ShotSpotter devices voted to keep the network in place.

Ramirez kept a low profile regarding the ShotSpotter issue. A search for quotes from her about the technology came up empty.

The only time she ever mentioned the gunfire detectors on her Facebook page was in November 2023, after cops responding to a ShotSpotter alert found three men fatally shot in the 3100 block of West 39th Place.

Update February 21: The victim has been identified as Yenny Perez, 22.

About this series

As of 12:01 a.m. on September 23, 2024, Chicago terminated its relationship with ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection system deployed in 12 of the city’s most violence-impacted neighborhoods.

Mayor Brandon Johnson stubbornly refused to reconsider his decision to dismantle ShotSpotter, even though the vast majority of aldermen, many citizens, victim’s advocates, and his handpicked police superintendent requested that it remain in place.

This reporting series, named “Brandon’s Bodies,” seeks to document cases of shooting victims and police investigations that could have benefited from gunshot detection technology.

The general criteria for inclusion are a gunshot victim found outside in a location previously served by ShotSpotter with either (1) no accompanying 911 calls about gunfire or (2) calls about gunfire in a general area that do not lead to the timely location of the victim.