License plate readers lead to shootout arrests in Fairfax County

Silencer with you? I'm not going to answer any questions. Okay. Run the firearm. You understand you're required to present your concealed carry. It's not a legal firearm. I'm not asking about the firearm. I'm asking about concealed carry. I'm not answering any questions. Okay, cool. Our first look at new body camera video of Fairfax County Police making arrest after an investigation into a local shootout. Several people were arrested. Seven guns were taken off the streets. Fairfax County investigators say that license plate readers are the big reason why Fox 5's Josh Rosenthal live in Fairfax tonight with more on this case and also the controversial technology we've reported so much about. Josh? Yeah, guys, all over the country, you've got communities choosing to get rid of these license plate readers. Here, police say they are essential for keeping their community safe. The license plate readers in this case got us to the exact vehicles that were involved in the crime and they got us there quickly. We would have been able to solve the crime without the license plate readers, but it would have taken a lot longer to solve the crime. And with that, we possibly I possibly could have lost evidence. Here's the deal. Police say they recovered seven guns and charged five people after an incident in the 7900 block of Jana Lee Avenue in Hybla Valley a little before 5 p.m. on November 4th. They tell us there were shots fired between people who had just hopped out of two vehicles before speeding away. Thankfully, there were no injuries, but officers say they did find 24 cartridge casings as well as bullet holes in a vehicle and street signs. Investigators say they then used automated license plate readers to ultimately track down the suspect's cars, one about 90 minutes after the shooting, the other two days later. Now, the license plate reader technology is controversial. In recent months, local jurisdictions, including Alexandria and Arlington, have opted to remove their cameras in part due to privacy concerns. In other parts of the country, there have also been allegations of misuse of the cameras, including among police officers. Meanwhile, among residents here, We've heard mixed reviews. I want you to take a listen to Carla Cloray, who lives near this recent incident. After that, you'll also hear some of the other side of the debate. You heard this shooting? Yes. I speak with a couple people in my community, and most people say yes. These cameras are very important because my community, we don't have too many options. You know, this camera is one. One opportunity to live more safe. I don't like them. You can't drive in well or they see where you're going. To me, it's an invasion of privacy. There's been significant civil rights and privacy concerns across multiple jurisdictions, across multiple political parties. There's bipartisan concern about what these cameras are collecting. Altogether, Fairfax County has 84 fixed license plate cameras, and then they've got another 700 or so inside of police cars. Gas.