How Shotspotter Impacted a Chicago Murder Case
An Unsolved Murder at the Center of Shotspotter Debate
Safarian Herring, 25, was fatally wounded the night of May 31, 2020. The shooting occurred amid citywide civil unrest, triggered by the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
Security cameras captured Herring inside an Auto Zone on South Stony Island Avenue that was being looted. It’s believed he left around 11:30 p.m. and caught a ride with a man in his 60s, later identified as Michael Williams.
Shotspotter Enters the Scene
According to records, obtained by WGN Investigates, Williams drove Herring north on Stony Island. It’s not clear where the men were heading.
But what is known is that near 63rd Street, Herring was shot in the head while still inside Williams’ Toyota SUV.
The Investigation
“He didn’t even have a chance,” Lajuane Herring, Safarian’s father, said.
After the shooting, Williams drove Herring to the hospital. But he left without speaking to police.
So, detectives were left with few clues or even an address of where Herring was wounded.
Shotspotter Provides a Lead
Hailed as a faster way to alert police about the location of gunfire, the technology’s critics have accused it of leading to an increase in over policing in some neighborhoods.
In Herring’s case, police concluded he was hit by gunfire at about 11:46 p.m. near 63rd and Stony Island, based on an initial Shotspotter report.
Questions About Shotspotter Data
Authorities, however, charged Williams with murder.
In records reviewed by WGN Investigates, police alleged the surveillance video shows the Charger’s windows were closed as it rolled through the intersection.
But Williams’ attorney, Jonathan Manes, said police were wrong on multiple fronts.
Shotspotter can’t pinpoint exactly where a gun was fired, only that a shot came from within a certain radius. What’s more, Manes said his team’s analysis of the same surveillance video shows the Charger’s back window was open, not closed, as police alleged.
The Aftermath
Williams pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence, even as he spent nearly a year in Cook County Jail. Ultimately, prosecutors dropped the charges, citing a lack of evidence and questions about the accuracy of Shotspotter’s data.
“Shotspotter gave police a lead in this case,” Manes said. “But police did an absolutely terrible job of investigating it.”
Conclusion
In this case, Shotspotter provided a lead for police, but its accuracy was called into question. The controversy surrounding the technology has led to ongoing debate about its effectiveness and potential biases. As the city of Chicago weighs its decision to continue using Shotspotter, cases like this one serve as a reminder of the importance of proper investigation and evidence collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Shotspotter? Shotspotter is a gunshot detection system that uses sensors to detect and locate gunfire.
Q: How accurate is Shotspotter? Shotspotter can’t pinpoint exactly where a gun was fired, only that a shot came from within a certain radius. Critics have accused the technology of leading to an increase in over policing in some neighborhoods.
Q: Is Shotspotter still being used in Chicago? The city of Chicago is currently weighing its decision to continue using Shotspotter. Some aldermen have objected to the technology, while others have advocated for its continued use.
