On March 17, 2025, 13-year-old Amari Williams, an African American eighth-grade student at Mason Elementary School, was found fatally shot in the backyard of an apartment building in the 1500 block of South Kildare Avenue in North Lawndale. Chicago police discovered his body about 2:10 a.m. after his mother reported him missing when he did not return home the previous evening. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of death multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head.

No 911 calls were made to report the gunfire. The block had previously been covered by the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system, but the city ended its contract with ShotSpotter in September 2024; Alderman Monique Scott said the absence of that technology may have delayed discovery. Area Four detectives are investigating and no arrests have been announced.

If anyone in North Lawndale on the night of March 16–17 saw anything or has information that could help identify who shot Amari, please contact investigators. How can readers who knew Amari or his routine help the investigation?