Celebration, FL | October 11, 2023
The Publix grocery store parking lot was bustling with shoppers on a weekday afternoon when gunshots rang out.
A 17-year-old boy was shot in the back multiple times by someone he knew. After shooting the victim, the assailant continued firing across the parking lot, striking multiple cars before fleeing in a blue vehicle. 
Like most recent shootings in public places, an escalated dispute sparked the gunfire. This was likely related to a “prior beef,” according to the Osceola County Sheriff.
Even when shootings target a specific person, any gunfire in public causes mass chaos. In this case, the parking lot erupted in terror. Customers dropped their grocery bags and raced back into the store. Some dove for cover and hid under cars. Inside the store, people shouted “active shooter,” causing patrons to shelter inside a back storage room.
When it finally became clear that nobody else was in danger, the sheriff’s department sectioned off part of the parking lot after the shooting so the grocery store could remain open.
“It’s always so safe over [on] this end of town. You wouldn’t think it would happen here, but it can happen anywhere apparently.” – Emily Stiftar, Resident of Celebration, FL
Public shootings prompt mass chaos and fear. People don’t know what’s happening or where the potential danger comes from. Knowing who the shooter is, what they look like, and their location is vital to fostering safety and rendering aid to those in need. Police officers can quickly use this information to apprehend suspects.
Once it’s clear the shooter has fled, EMTs can help the wounded, and bystanders no longer need to shelter and fear for their lives. Getting this information quickly and accurately can reduce chaos and ease everyone’s terror.
ZeroEyes visual AI gun detection technology pairs with existing interior and exterior digital security cameras. When our AI instantly detects a gun within a camera’s view, the image is reviewed by military- and law enforcement-trained personnel in our operations center. If the gun is confirmed to be a real firearm, we share a photo of that person with local authorities and 911, along with designated contacts. The whole process takes around 3–5 seconds. If the shooter enters other on-premise camera views, it creates a breadcrumb trail for police — creating better situational awareness.
This effective and informed response process can help save time and save lives.
Some of the most common solutions that leaders look to for active shooter prevention include metal detectors, door locks, or barricades. These measures can be helpful, but it’s critical to understand that they do not address all five stages of a mass shooting. In fact, most security measures, like the examples aforementioned, only address the Active Stage of a mass shooting—and in some cases, could even potentially put the people they are trying to protect at greater risk.
Read more about the five stages of a mass shooting here.
ZeroEyes delivers a proactive, human-verified, visual gun detection and situational awareness solution that integrates into existing digital security cameras.
Providing situational awareness can reduce response times… ultimately saving lives.