The recent shooting in Raleigh has alerted all North Carolina residents of the danger lurking at any time in America: mass shootings. On October 13, the community of Raleigh was shaken to the core when news broke of a mass shooting in Hedingham, a large residential neighborhood in northeastern Raleigh. Seven people were shot, five of whom died. One of the victims was the shooter’s brother, and another was an off-duty police officer.

2020 was a fatal year for many Americans; according to the Center for Disease Control, more Americans died of gun-related injuries than in any other recorded year. Statistics have shown that gun death rates in the United States are much higher than in any other high-income country, and active shooter incidents have become more common in the US with every passing year. 

The October 13 tragedy hit close to home for North Carolinians. Lieutenant Jason Borneo, a 17-year-member of the Raleigh police force, gives his thoughts on the event.

“You hear about these events that happen in different parts of the country,” Borneo said, “but when it happens here at home, you’re in so much shock and disbelief and you almost have to just stop and pause.” 

Borneo says it’s important for the community to pitch in and assist officials in emergency situations such as the Raleigh shooting. 

“We do count on the community to make sure that they partner with us, to report anything that they see that might seem suspicious, report crimes, and to just work with us to be visible partners in crime reduction and prevention,” Borneo said. 

Community members, including victim’s relatives, have reached out to public officials asking for emergency notifications to be sent out when incidents such as mass shootings occur, similar to extreme weather or AMBER Alerts. 

Jonathon Leal, an operations manager at the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center, understands their concerns but also brings attention to other contributing factors.

 “The important thing is that the notifications need to be vetted by people,” Leal said. “We get reports of shots fired all the time, so when do we make that call to realize that this is truly an active incident? It’s a good idea, but it just needs to be vetted by the right people.” 

Despite the tragedy, Raleigh was recently named one of the nation’s safest cities, ranking No. 9 on a list with almost 200 contenders. 

“I think the thing that folks should remember – and hopefully can appreciate – is that the Triangle Region is an overwhelmingly safe region,” Bill Summers, Knightdale Town Manager, said, “but the type of incident that we endured was very unique to us, and it was very concerning for government officials as well as obviously the public.” 

Mayor of Raleigh, Mary-Ann Baldwin, agrees that Raleigh is a safe city, but the community can do even more. 

“Our Police Chief has made gun violence prevention a top initiative with the goal of making Raleigh the safest city in the country,” Mayor Baldwin said. 

Raleigh officials have made it a priority to ensure both the resident’s safety and the overall security of the community. 

“We have been working on a violence prevention initiative with our partners, the NAACP and Moms Demand Action,” said Mayor Baldwin. “This community-based initiative is designed to prevent incidents and help provide mental health assistance to those in need. We are also focused on data-driven policing, where officers are positioned in areas susceptible to gun violence. Our new ACORNS unit, which is comprised of police and social workers, has provided assistance to 500 people who needed mental health or crisis services since its inception a year ago.”