A late night shooting incident in a popular bar area near a world-class West Coast university was swiftly contained and two suspects apprehended thanks to coordinated efforts by campus and city police, aided by ShotSpotter® for Campus. The shooting occurred Saturday, shortly after campus bars and restaurants had closed. Thousands of students live in the area.
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2:40 AM A nearby city police officer hears shots fired and then radios dispatch: “Shots fired. Sounds like it came from the park.” Officers begin to proceed in the direction of the park. The park is several blocks from campus.
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2:41 AM Campus police receive a ShotSpotter alert indicating 14 shots fired at a precise location two blocks from the park where the city officer mistakenly believes the shooting occurred. Campus police radio the correct location.
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Nine seconds later, another ShotSpotter alert indicates two shots fired. The actual location is only One block from campus.
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2:43 AM Campus and city police speed to the ShotSpotter alert location in time to collect evidence and interview key witnesses before they disperse.
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Using witness descriptions, police arrest a second suspect within a few hours. Medical personnel treat victims. Injuries sustained are not life-threatening.
With this one event we certainly got our money’s worth out of ShotSpotter.
Campus Police Chief
