Crime
13-Year-Old Amari Williams Found Fatally Shot in Chicago
Chicago, IL – A 13-year-old boy, identified by family as Amari “Mari” Williams, was found fatally shot in the head early Monday morning in the city’s North Lawndale neighborhood.
Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers discovered the teen’s body around 2:10 a.m. on March 17, 2025, while on routine patrol near 15th Street and Kildare Avenue.
Officers spotted an unconscious male lying in a yard and approached to check on him.
Upon closer inspection, they determined he had suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, but Williams was pronounced dead upon their arrival.
Authorities have not released any details regarding the circumstances of the shooting.
Notably, no 911 calls were made reporting gunfire or a person shot in the area before officers made the discovery. CPD’s Area 4 Detectives are actively investigating the case.
Williams’ death marks the 37th fatal shooting or homicide found without a 911 report under Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration, following the discontinuation of the city’s contract with ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system that previously covered the area.
Authorities urge anyone with information to come forward.
Anonymous tips can be submitted via CPDTIP.com, or individuals can contact the Chicago Police Department’s 10th District at (312) 747-7511.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.