Only about one in five gunshots is reported to police, according to 2013 statistics released this week by ShotSpotter, a private firm that provides gunfire detection in a number of U.S. cities. The firm said its sensors counted 51,000 gunshots in 48 cities last year. About 15 percent of the shots occurred on New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July, and 42 percent occurred during summer months.
The most popular time for shots was from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. An average of 3.1 rounds were fired per incident. ShotSpotter sensors cover portions of about 70 cities, including Chicago, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Oakland, Calif. Gunfire alerts are passed on from the company to the local police. The technology pinpoints gunshots within a 10-meter area, according to ShotSpotter.