Flock cameras led police to a suspect in a road rage shooting incident nearly three weeks after it happened. The shooting occurred in Duncanville, Texas, where police say detectives used automated license plate readers, along with witness statements and other investigative leads, to identify the suspect as 42-year-old Kevin Gray of Garland.
The shooting happened August 11 near South Cockrell Hill Road and East Highway 67. According to the Duncanville Police Department, a caller reported that a man driving a Tesla fired a handgun at him while they were stopped at an intersection.
Thankfully, no one was hurt in the shooting, but it did put other motorists and citizens in the area at risk. The investigation continued until September 3, when patrol officers and detectives used all available information and ALPR technology to locate Gray in Dallas.
Officers arrested Gray without incident. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Flock Cameras Were Used
The Duncanville Police Department post says detectives used ALPRs to help identify Gray. Still, the department has not publicly explained which camera captured the Tesla or exactly what information investigators obtained from the system.
Flock ALPR cameras were used in Duncanville for another road rage shooting. In that July 28 case, detectives used Flock cameras to identify and follow multiple leads before arresting the alleged shooter.
Did the Cameras Actually See the Driver?
The Flock Safety website states that its ALPR system collects data on license plate images, vehicle characteristics, timestamps, and camera locations. The website also says the system does not collect data on facial recognition or driver information.
In other words, an ALPR camera can help investigators establish that a particular vehicle was seen at a particular location and time. It does not prove who was sitting behind the wheel.
Duncanville police said witness statements and other investigative leads were part of the investigation but didn’t detail what evidence connected Gray personally to the shooting.
Online Reactions Were Mixed
People took to the comment section of the Duncanville Police Department post to voice their praises and concerns. One commenter pointed out that this case is a good example of using Flock cameras to catch a suspect but also said they still don’t trust everyone using them.
Another commenter questioned whether or not the cameras actually identified the driver of the Tesla and wondered whether the charges would stick. The Flock website states that its cameras don’t use facial recognition.
For now, Gray faces an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.