'The city got ripped off': DPD says ShotSpotter did not detect shooting, city leaders ask for grace

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Two days after gunfire erupted in Wellons Village injuring five people, Durham police established a Community Resource Unit as they continue investigating.

Officers were seen Wednesday morning going door to door asking questions about Sunday's drive-by shooting. The neighborhood is within the ShotSpotter coverage zone but, police told ABC11 they did not get an alert after the shooting.

"If I'm walking around Durham, want to know what keeps me safe? That's what keeps me safe," said Joseph McKenny referencing his gun. "The state of North Carolina says you can open carry long as you don't have felonies. I'm going to do that. I don't go nowhere without a firearm."

Durham Police established a mobile community resource unit in the Wellons Village community. It's been two and a half weeks since the Bull City launched ShotSpotter. The technology is costing taxpayers almost $200,000.

"I want my money back. I'm mad. We wasted money. 200,000 for this ShotSpotter what is it for?," one man questioned.

According to Durham Police, they never received a ShotSpotter alert, and they are looking into why it never came.

ABC11 reached out to ShotSpotter and they released the following statement:

"Across our entire customer base, we have a 97% accuracy rate as independently validated through a three-year audit by Edgeworth Analytics. Concerning the tragic mass shooting in Durham, we are investigating the incident and intend on providing a full report to Durham Police Department."

"The city got ripped off," said David Myers, a retired homicide detective out of Washington D.C. "If it was working, why didn't it get a call? If the engineers can't tell you, they are responsible for the whole system."

Yet, Durham Mayor Pro-Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton remains confident in the technology. He is working with the police department as they monitor instances of gunfire.

"The sensors are not set up in a way to capture gunfire from enclosed spaces, buildings or cars," he said. "Sundays incident was a drive by shooting, which means it was fired from inside a vehicle.

According to Middleton, the public can expect hiccups along the way for any technology including ShotSpotter.

"I don't throw my cellphone out when there's a dropped call or the signal goes out in an elevator," he said. " Gunfire has gone off and ShotSpotter sensors have picked up gunfire on more than one occasion in the last two and a half weeks."