Greenville Reduces Gun Violence Injuries by 29%

Greenville, one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, faced a persistent gun violence problem that was at a tipping point, prompting law enforcement to join forces with community partners to take action for the safety of the community. Vidant Medical Center, the Greenville Housing Authority and East Carolina University, partnered with the Greenville police to fund a ShotSpotter deployment.

The Greenville Police Department adopted SoundThinking’s ShotSpotter gunshot detection system in 2018 as part of the city’s sweeping program to reduce violent crime and gun violence.

2019 results showed violent crime in the city down seven percent, homicides decreased by 20 percent, and gun violence injuries reduced by 29 percent in ShotSpotter coverage areas as compared to 2018. Officials say the ShotSpotter program combines the latest technology with their hardworking officers to create a successful step forward in the battle to combat gun violence. Vidant Medical said it had particular interest in ShotSpotter for reducing the amount of time it takes to get injured gunshot victims to the medical center and because of the injury prevention aspect.