Chicago to Pay $500K Settlement for Man Wrongly Accused of Murder Based on ShotSpotter Data

ShotSpotter says its technology worked as designed, but police misused the data to build a case against the wrong man.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Chicago will pay $500,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a 64-year-old man who spent nearly a year in jail after being charged with a 2020 murder that prosecutors later dropped. While some coverage has blamed the city's now-removed ShotSpotter system, records show the technology detected a real gunshot and worked as designed. The problem, according to the company that operates it, was that Chicago police used the data in a way they had been explicitly warned not to.

Why it matters

This case highlights concerns about the use of gunshot detection technology like ShotSpotter and how law enforcement can misinterpret or misuse the data, leading to wrongful arrests and prosecutions. It also raises questions about the reliability and limitations of these technologies, especially when it comes to detecting gunshots in enclosed spaces.

The details

In May 2020, Michael Williams, 64, was out driving when he spotted 25-year-old Safarian Herring and gave him a ride. While they were stopped at a red light, a car pulled up and fired a shot into Williams' car, killing Herring. Three months later, Chicago police detectives convinced prosecutors to charge Williams with Herring's murder, even though ShotSpotter's data showed the shot was fired from outside the car, not from inside. Williams spent nearly a year in jail before the charges were dropped.

  • On the night of the shooting in May 2020, ShotSpotter detected a single gunshot at the southeast corner of Hayes Drive and Stony Island Avenue.
  • Three months after the shooting, in August 2020, Chicago police detectives charged Williams with first-degree murder.
  • Williams spent nearly a year in jail before the charges were dropped.
  • In March 2026, Chicago agreed to pay Williams $500,000 to settle his lawsuit over the ordeal.

The players

Michael Williams

A 64-year-old man who was wrongly accused of murdering Safarian Herring in 2020 and spent nearly a year in jail before the charges were dropped.

Safarian Herring

A 25-year-old man who was killed in a shooting while riding in Williams' car in May 2020.

ShotSpotter

A gunfire detection system that the city of Chicago has since removed, whose alert the night of the shooting became the foundation of the case against Williams.

SoundThinking

The parent company of ShotSpotter, which warned the prosecution that its in-car theory was not supported by the acoustic evidence.

Cook County State's Attorney's Office

The prosecutors who initially charged Williams with Herring's murder based on the ShotSpotter data, but later dropped the charges.

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What they’re saying

“A car pulled up on the side of mine and fired a shot into my car. Next thing I knew, I'm charged with first-degree murder.”

— Michael Williams (CBS2)

“When the company learned that the prosecution's theory depended on the assumption that the fatal shot was fired inside a car at extremely close range, we took the initiative to inform the Cook County State's Attorney's Office that ShotSpotter is not designed to detect gunfire within an enclosed vehicle, and that the prosecution's in-car theory was not supported by the acoustic evidence.”

— SoundThinking (CWB Chicago)

What’s next

The city of Chicago has removed the ShotSpotter system, and it remains to be seen if the technology will continue to be used by law enforcement in the city or elsewhere.

The takeaway

This case highlights the potential dangers of over-relying on gunshot detection technology like ShotSpotter, and the importance of ensuring that law enforcement uses such data responsibly and within the limitations of the technology. It also underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability around the use of these systems, to prevent wrongful arrests and prosecutions.