Concord Councilmember Tim Grayson calls for Emergency Funding to Stop Highway Shootings

ShotSpotter technology and funds for on-the-ground prosecutor support requested to end violence

CONCORD, CA — Following weekend reports of another highway shooting in Contra Costa County, Concord Councilmember Tim Grayson is calling on Governor Jerry Brown to issue emergency funding for assistance in investigating recent gang-related highway shootings.

“Our state must take further action to end this crisis. More than 21 highway shootings have occurred since November and these violent acts continue to cause severe injuries and deaths on our highways,” said Grayson. “Local law enforcement has worked diligently with the California Highway Patrol to investigate these shootings but we need to take further action to equip law enforcement professionals with the tools they need to put a stop to this violence and ensure these crimes are investigated thoroughly.”

The California Highway Patrol has determined highway shootings that have occurred on Interstate 80, Interstate 680, State Route 242, and State Route 4 are related to gang activity. Lacking surveillance cameras on East Bay freeways, state and local law enforcement have continued to investigate these crimes without access to critical footage of violent freeway shootings.

Councilmember Grayson has requested the use of emergency funds to provide:

• Surveillance equipment including ShotSpotter technology to aid law enforcement in identifying where and when shots are fired. This equipment also serves as a deterrent to criminal activity, ensuring criminals can no longer count on state highways to serve as areas lacking surveillance.

• Expansion of on-the-ground investigative support from state prosecutors. Expanding support from the state for investigators and prosecutors would aid local law enforcement in furthering investigations and securing convictions against perpetrators.

ShotSpotter technology uses a network of sensors, paired with cameras, to detect gunshots and identify the time and location of a gunshot for immediate response from law enforcement.

BACKGROUND:  

Since November of 2015, 21 shooting incidences and violent acts have occurred on Interstate 80, Interstate 680, State Route 242, and State Route 4. These highway shooting incidences, believed to be caused by gang activity, have resulted in serious injuries and several deaths.

• On Friday, June 24^th at 9pm, the latest of many recent highway shootings occurred on Highway 4 near Bailey Road in Pittsburg. A woman sustained injuries resulting from glass shards after a bullet struck the vehicle window. Other passengers were not seriously harmed.
• On May 11^th, a fatal shooting on Highway 4 resulted in the tragic death of Shanique Marie, a 25-year-old mother of four who was expecting her fifth child. A male passenger sustained severe injuries.
• On April 19^th, 28-year-old Uriel Moreno was killed in a shooting near the Loveridge Road exit on Highway 4.
• On February 27^th, a man was killed after his vehicle drifted off of the Hilltop Drive exit on Interstate 80 and flipped several times. Authorities believe another vehicle pulled up beside his vehicle.
• On February 7^th, a 30-year-old Vallejo man sustained life-threatening injuries after a shooting incident on Interstate 80.
• On January 11^th, a 2-year-old child was injured after a vehicle was struck by a bullet on Interstate 80. A teenage girl and a man driving east near the Richmond Parkway were also struck in the shooting.
• On December 17, a man sustained injuries after a shooting near the San Pablo Dam Road exit.
• On November 24^th, a woman sustained serious injuries from shattered glass resulting from a shooting. Two other passengers were traveling in the car, including an 8-year-old child.
• On November 10^th, a 25-year-old man was killed and another woman was injured in a shooting incident near the Pinole Valley Road exit.
• On November 2^nd a man sustained severe injuries after a shooting near San Pablo Dam Road.

Below is the letter to Governor Jerry Brown from Councilman Grayson.

The Honorable Jerry Brown
Governor’s Office
State of California
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Brown:

Since November, repeated incidences of highway shootings throughout Contra Costa County on our state highways have threatened our communities and emboldened criminals to continue acts of violence on our roads.

Our state must take further action to end this crisis. More than 21 highway shootings have occurred since November and these violent acts continue to cause severe injuries and deaths on our highways. Local law enforcement have worked diligently with the California Highway Patrol to investigate these shootings but we need to take further action to equip law enforcement professionals with the tools they need to put a stop to this violence and ensure these crimes are investigated thoroughly.

I believe emergency funding and assistance is needed to thoroughly investigate these crimes, equip our law enforcement agencies and ensure swift action is taken to prevent further injuries or deaths in our communities.

Emergency funds are needed to provide surveillance equipment to ensure our freeways are monitored for potential shots fired, a measure that would enhance investigations and provide a deterrent to criminals who have been emboldened to further criminal activity by the lack of surveillance on our highways. Expansion and upgrades to existing traffic camera equipment within the Caltrans network and the installation of ShotSpotter technology, used to detect the time and location of a gunshot, would also provide critical tools to investigators.

While equipping our law enforcement with the appropriate tools needed to investigate crimes is critical, solving cases and combating crime still comes down to complete and thorough investigations. Expanding the force of on-the-ground investigators would serve to further investigations and aid in securing convictions against perpetrators.

Swift action is needed to further the efforts of the California Highway Patrol and end further violence in our communities.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

Tim Grayson
Councilmember, City of Concord