ShotSpotter alert came in before 911 calls after 12-year-old shot, Durham police confirm
Shawn Carpenter remembers a time when there was no crime in the Southside community. Elders here held the youth accountable, but things changed.
"The 90's is when things got bad. A lot of the elders died. The younger generation moved up and didn't have no guidance," said Carpenter.
On Sunday afternoon, Durham police responded with a strong presence to the 200 block of West Enterprise street after a 12 -year-old girl was shot. Durham police say she is suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
"I watched her grow up over here. I know her parents and stuff. It's sad," he said.
The clerk working at a vape store in the area near the shooting told ABC11 their surveillance cameras likely captured the incident. He said the shooting happened just moments after the girl and her siblings left the shop to buy snacks.
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When he heard gunfire, he ran out of the store to find her laying in a nearby empty lot bleeding from her thigh. He took his jacket off to tie around her leg to slow the bleeding.
This shooting comes as it's been nearly three months since ShotSpotter launched in the Bull City. Durham police publishes a monthly gunfire report. In January, 998 rounds of gunfire were detected. SpotSpotter received 197 alerts with most alerts coming from Sullivan Street, Fayetteville Street, and Alston Avenue.
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"ShotSpotter detected 14 rounds in that one incident from Sunday," said Mayor Pro-Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton. "Police arrived to the scene based on ShotSpotter notification that came in minutes before 911 calls were received."
Meanwhile, back on Enterprise street, those living there are left to process the shooting that left a 12-year-old girl injured.
"I hope whoever did it can wake up and say I'm sorry," said Carpenter.
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