A burst of gunfire in Northwest Miami set off a ShotSpotter alert Thursday evening, pulling City of Miami police to the area of Northwest 58th Street and Northwest 13th Avenue around 7 p.m. Authorities say multiple shots were detected, but officers did not initially find anyone wounded at that location.
About six minutes later, Miami-Dade deputies reported finding a man in his late 40s with gunshot wounds near Northwest 21st Avenue and 69th Street. He was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s trauma center. His injuries are currently unknown, and the shooting remains under investigation.
As reported by Local 10, officers came up empty at the initial ShotSpotter location, and Miami-Dade deputies later handled the call involving the hospitalized man. Local 10 also reported that the alerts involved multiple gunshots and that deputies described the victim as being in his late 40s.
How The ShotSpotter Alert Fits In
Miami has leaned on acoustic gunfire detection in hopes of speeding up responses to shootings, and city budget records show the police department has funded ShotSpotter phases along with integrations that tie the system to cameras and license-plate readers. As detailed in the City of Miami’s financial plans, earlier operating budgets reference ShotSpotter coverage in Liberty Square and subscription funding for Phase II and Phase III of the system, according to City of Miami budget documents.
Civil-liberties advocates have not exactly been shy about raising red flags over these systems. Groups have questioned false positives and the level of transparency around how gun-detection alerts are used, according to the ACLU.
Recent Nearby Gunfire
The latest shooting comes on the heels of another violent episode in the area. Last Monday a 19-year-old was rushed to Jackson Memorial’s Ryder Trauma Center after a separate shooting in Allapattah, highlighting a run of recent gunfire in northwest neighborhoods. That incident was covered in a report on separate shooting in Allapattah, which noted that officers canvassed the scene for witnesses and surveillance footage.
Investigation Ongoing
Police say Thursday’s shooting is still under investigation. They have not released any suspect descriptions or a possible motive, and authorities have not disclosed the victim’s current condition. Local 10 reported that his injuries were listed as unknown in the initial account.
