A ShotSpotter alert early Sunday morning helped Virginia Beach police quickly locate and charge an armed suspect after gunfire was detected along Lynnhaven Parkway.
According to the Virginia Beach Police Department, emergency dispatchers received the automated alert around 1:55 a.m. on February 22 indicating shots fired in the 1300 block of Lynnhaven Parkway. Officers were sent to the area immediately to investigate.
Police say technology played a key role in identifying the suspect. Staff at the department’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) were able to match the ShotSpotter alert with a previous incident and point officers toward a possible suspect.
That investigation led officers to Frederick Gibson, 37, of Virginia Beach.
Gibson was issued two summonses, as required by Virginia law for misdemeanor offenses, for carrying a concealed weapon and discharging a firearm within city limits, according to police. During the encounter, officers recovered a Taurus 9mm handgun.
Police Chief Paul W. Neudigate credited both officers and the department’s technology systems for resolving the situation quickly.
“Thanks to the rapid response of our officers and the real-time intelligence provided by ShotSpotter and the RTCC, a dangerous situation was resolved quickly and without harm. The officer’s swift actions addressed a threat to our community before the situation could escalate into additional gunfire,” said Police Chief Paul W. Neudigate.
The case remains under investigation by the department’s First Precinct.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Virginia Beach Police Department at (757) 385-4377.