Bullet tracing technology allows police to monitor gunfire on the east side

SAN ANTONIO – Bullet tracing technology, known as ShotSpotter, is now up and running on San Antonio’s east side.

It will alert San Antonio police to gunfire even if no one reports it. On the east side, ShotSpotter covers a one-mile radius, including this intersection at New Braunfels

City officials wouldn’t give KENS 5 an exact location, but east-side Councilman Alan Warrick tells us ShotSpotter went into operation a few days ago.

“We can only assume that we’re getting about 20-percent of the gunshots in are actually happening in the community,” said Warrick.

Warrick says often times, east-side residents don’t report gun shots because they’re afraid of retaliation. ShotSpotter went online on the east and west sides of San Antonio a few days ago. In the next 60 to 90 days, Warrick says the city will be monitoring the technology. He says crime has dropped about 25-percent in other cities where ShotSpotter is used, but crime has quieted down on the east side due to other police efforts.

“There were three key arrests that were made about a week and a half ago that have quieted things down,” he said.

San Antonio police will also begin foot patrols here on New Braunfels.