Two men are now in custody after being implicated in a fatal shooting at Fountain Park in Allentown, less than a week after the incident. The successful apprehension of the suspects is largely due to new technology that uses license plate identification and gunshot detection capabilities.
Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca credited this new technology, which was installed throughout the city with the help of a $1.5 million state grant. The system includes license plate reader cameras by Flock Safety and Raven gunshot detection technology that is primarily concentrated in the central part of the city.
The Flock Safety cameras can detect gunshots within a quarter-mile radius, sensing them within a range of 90 feet where they originated. This technology was instrumental in identifying two cars fleeing the shooting scene at Fountain Park at a high speed. Moreover, the cameras captured a passenger in one of the vehicles wearing a red jacket, matching witness descriptions of the suspected shooter.
27-year-old Grelvis Cabrera and 18-year-old Carlos Landesta-Agramonte have been charged with conspiracy to commit homicide and tampering with evidence in connection to the shooting. The investigation is ongoing, and the police are urging anyone with additional information to come forward.
Carlos Caban, a witness who heard the gunshots on the night of the incident, expressed gratitude for the cameras and technology that helped in the investigation. Although the shooter remains at large, the use of advanced technology in law enforcement provides valuable tools to the dedicated officers working to solve crimes and keep the community safe.