Tragic Loss in South Side Chicago: 20-Year-Old Kayla Dadon Fatally Shot
June 27, 2025 – Chicago, IL – A South Side neighborhood is reeling from the devastating and senseless death of Kayla Dadon, a 20-year-old young woman whose life was cut short by gun violence late Friday night.
At approximately 9:38 p.m., on June 27th, Chicago Police responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting in the area of 53rd and Indiana. The caller, reportedly a friend of Kayla’s, said she had been shot. Officers canvassed the scene, knocked on doors, and searched nearby buildings, but found no immediate evidence of a shooting or a victim. No shell casings, no gunfire detection alerts, and no other 911 reports were made from that precise location at that time.
Fourteen minutes later, at 9:52 p.m., a second emergency call was placed—this time from 54th and Prairie. The caller reported an unresponsive woman lying on the sidewalk, bleeding from the head. When CPD and Chicago EMS arrived, they discovered Kayla Dadon with a gunshot wound to the head. Tragically, she was pronounced dead on arrival at the scene.
A witness at the second location told police they saw Kayla in a heated argument or physical altercation with a man believed to be around 25 years old, described as 6 feet 1 inch tall, wearing gray pants and a white t-shirt. According to the witness, the man fired a single shot before fleeing the area on foot.
At the crime scene, investigators recovered one shell casing and a canister of mace lying near Kayla’s body.
Delay in Response Raises Questions
News outlet CWBChicago reported that it took police 16 minutes to find Kayla after the first 911 call was made—an unfortunate delay attributed to the wrong location being initially provided. It has since sparked renewed concern over the city’s decision to discontinue its contract with ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection system that could have alerted authorities to the precise location of the shooting even before the 911 call was made.
Mayor Brandon Johnson ended the city’s ShotSpotter contract last year, a controversial decision that has drawn scrutiny in the aftermath of this tragedy.
A Community in Mourning
Kayla Dadon’s death has sent shockwaves throughout the Washington Park area and the greater South Side community. Family members, friends, and neighbors are grieving the loss of a vibrant young woman whose life was filled with promise.
“She just wanted to live. She had dreams. She was loved,” said a family member in a social media tribute. “Now we have to say goodbye far too soon.”
Online, tributes have poured in under the hashtags #SayHerName, #KaylaDadon, and #StopTheViolence, as city residents and advocacy groups demand accountability and call for action to end the epidemic of gun violence that continues to claim innocent lives—especially young Black women.Investigation Ongoing
No suspects are currently in custody, and Area 2 Detectives continue to investigate. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to step forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously via CPDTIP.com or by calling the Chicago Police 2nd District at (312) 747-8366.
Kayla’s family has asked for privacy during this time and invites the community to keep them in their prayers.
Final Thoughts
Kayla Dadon’s death is yet another painful reminder of the consequences of unchecked violence in our communities. As we remember her, we must also ask ourselves what more can be done to protect our young people—on the streets, in schools, and in every neighborhood.
Rest in peace, Kayla.
Forever 20. Forever missed.
