Dallas, TX
Could a new system help police address random gunfire? Dallas hopes to find out
The Dallas Police Department will soon try out a new system to better pinpoint random bursts of gunfire.
The City Council on Wednesday approved a three-year contract for $336,362 with Crime Gunshot Intelligence Technologies for its gunshot detection program, FireFLY LE. The system works by alerting a police employee when it picks up on the sound of a potential gunshot. That employee will evaluate the noise, and if they tag it as gunfire, patrol is notified to its possible location.
Council members have voiced concerns in recent years about random gunfire in Dallas, with some noting that residents constantly report the problem and complain about feeling ignored. Police usually label random gunfire calls a lower priority.
Police officials have said random gunfire happens across the city and often spikes on holidays. So such gunshots result from celebrating, while others result from people discharging a firearm while intoxicated or as an intentional violent act.
Dallas police reported 8,301 random gunfire calls this year as of Wednesday, with the highest volume in the southern sectors of the city. By this time last year, the department recorded 9,754.
Gunshot detection systems are used across the U.S. but have spurred questions about accuracy, expense and level of impact. ShotSpotter — one of the most popular — is used in more than 150 cities, but has been rejected by areas such as Atlanta and Portland, according to CNN. In Chicago, one of the largest cities to use it, officials have been immersed in debate about whether to renew their contract, The Chicago Tribune reported this week.
Dallas has considered gunshot detection technology before, but the idea was nixed because of accuracy concerns and high costs. Police Chief Eddie García raised worries to council last year, noting the “jury’s still out” on the efficiency of such systems. Instead, he said at the time, he’d prefer more license plate readers.
Tim Kelly, CGIT’s president and co-founder, told The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday that FireFLY LE is different from legacy systems in that it’s transportable, not fixed into place — which he believes makes it more economical and ethical. The technology is not targeting one community, he said, but can instead be moved based on where police believe the gunfire is occurring.
Gunshot detection systems typically use microphones and other acoustic devices in neighborhoods to pick up the sound of a gunshot, locate the area where the muzzle blast happened, and then alert police.
Once the FireFLY LE sensor picks up on a bang, Kelly said, the system compares it to a library of sounds — like car backfires, single gunshots and machine guns — to evaluate what it could be. Police make the final classification, and the data would be owned by the city of Dallas, Kelly added.
He called it “a tool in a bigger process,” emphasizing it’s meant to help police recover shell casings, which can then be analyzed to gauge whether that gun was used in other crimes. Residents in vulnerable communities where shootings occur don’t always report gunshots, Kelly said, which makes the system vital for alerting police.
“It’s about providing leads to detectives,” said Kelly, formerly an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Phoenix has used the program for about five years. An Arizona State University study published in 2021 by the U.S. Department of Justice found that after the sensors were in place, patrol officers were more likely to respond to gunshots, responded more quickly and incident reports were more likely to be filed.
“Will it reduce gun violence?” Kelly said on Wednesday. “That’s really kind of a hard question. My personal opinion — not standing alone. It needs to be part of a larger process.”
He pointed to DPD’s use of hot-spot policing. As part of the department’s violent crime reduction plan, every 60 days, police hone in on about 60 “hot spots” — 330-by-330 foot grids — that account for a disproportionate amount of crime.
Dallas police Major Yancey Nelson told the council’s public safety committee this week that the department will start with 24 sensors, which will provide coverage of about 1 to 2 square miles. Police officials opted for a solar-powered option, he added, which allows them to put sensors on top of a building or mount them on a utility pole.
He noted the hot spots targeted by DPD are usually areas that see large amounts of random gunfire. Similarly, Kelly said, FireFLY LE helps focus on small geographical areas. Because the system is transportable it can be moved each time police change hot zones.
“It actually overlays our crime plan perfectly,” Nelson told the committee.
Dallas, TX
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Cardi B, one of hip-hop’s most outsize personalities — and one of its most reliable hitmakers — is coming to Dallas.
The New York City-born rapper broke through in 2017 with the hit single “Bodak Yellow,” launching a chart-topping run that soon included “I Like It” and the blockbuster hit “WAP.” Her Grammy-winning debut album, Invasion of Privacy, cemented her as a defining voice in contemporary rap, blending brash humor, confessional storytelling and club-ready production.
The 33-year-old’s success helped boost the profile of women in a genre long dominated by men, encouraging record labels to sign more female rappers. She has frequently teamed up with rising female artists, including GloRilla, FendiDa Rappa and “WAP” collaborator Megan Thee Stallion.
Cardi’s stop at American Airlines Center is part of the arena run supporting her second studio album, 2025’s Am I the Drama? Recent shows in the “Little Miss Drama Tour” have leaned into spectacle, with elaborate staging, surprise guest appearances and a set list that spans her entire career.
Fans can expect a high-energy performance built around booming trap beats, pop hooks and Cardi’s signature unfiltered banter — the same mix that has helped her sell out dates across the tour and turn concerts into party-like events.
DETAILS: March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Tickets start at $334.10, but some verified resale tickets are cheaper. ticketmaster.com.
Pop legend Diana Ross performs March 7 at the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
Sarah Hepola
OTHER CONCERTS
Bluesy psychedelic rock band All Them Witches performs March 7 at House of Blues Dallas.
Travis Pinson
ALL THEM WITCHES March 7 at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
DIANA ROSS March 7 at 8 p.m. at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. winstar.com.
RICH BRIAN March 7 at 8 p.m. at The Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum. axs.com.
TRACE ADKINS March 7 at 10 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.
AFROJACK March 8 at 3 p.m. at It’ll Do Club in Deep Ellum. eventbrite.com.
LITHE March 8 at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
CONAN GRAY March 10 at 8 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. ticketmaster.com.
MATISYAHU March 10 at 8 p.m. at the Granada Theater in Dallas. prekindle.com.
OUR LADY PEACE, WITH THE VERVE PIPE March 12 at 8 p.m. at Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall in Fort Worth. ticketmaster.com.
PAUL WALL March 12 at 9 p.m. and March 13 at 10 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.
The fiercest legislative primary fights Tuesday in North Texas were inside the GOP.
In Dallas County, two moderate GOP incumbent representatives faced challengers after being censured by their own county party.
In Collin County, several Republican state House members were fending off rivals running to their right.
The Dallas Morning News will provide live election results this evening when the polls close at 7 p.m. Results will be updated throughout the evening for statewide races and Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall and Tarrant counties.
Dallas County, House District 108
Republican Morgan Meyer, first elected in 2014, was challenged by attorney Sanjay Narayan in a district that includes the Park Cities, Oak Lawn and Preston Hollow.
Narayan criticized Meyer for backing renewable energy expansion and for being censured by the Dallas GOP last year.
Meyer was among House Republicans targeted after disputes over the House speaker vote and chamber rules. He and other lawmakers called the censure effort unconstitutional.
In the campaign, Meyer focused on property tax relief and emergency preparedness after the Camp Mystic tragedy.
Small business owner Allison Mitchell is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Dallas County, House District 112
Republican Angie Chen Button, who has represented the district covering parts of Dallas, Richardson and Garland since 2009, drew three primary opponents.
Button has highlighted her support for small businesses and public schools and her bipartisan record. A senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, she would play a key role in the state’s property tax debate if reelected.
Dallas-area delegation in the Texas House of Representatives on Sunday, May 30, 2021, showing State Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Garland, in the chamber.
Bob Daemmrich / Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto
Opponents Chad Carnahan and Tina Price attacked Button for being censured by the Dallas GOP last year, a move she and other lawmakers have criticized as an internal party power struggle.
Carnahan, a businessman, said he wants to lower property taxes and prevent Shariah in Texas.
Price said she would improve public schools and spur the re-use of old buildings. Also in the GOP race: Perry E. Barker Sr.
Democrat Zach Herbert was unopposed.
Collin County, House District 61
Two Republicans are seeking to represent the district that covers most of McKinney and parts of Frisco and Celina.
Incumbent Keresa Richardson, who was elected in 2024, and former state Rep. Frederick Frazier both support eliminating property taxes.
Richardson, an entrepreneur, said she would expand the Texas voucher-like program for education.
Frazier, a former police officer and McKinney City Council member, was more cautious about expanding the program.
Frederick Frazier speaks as Rep. Keresa Richardson looks on during a candidate forum for Republicans in Collin County ahead of the March primary election at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
Anja Schlein / Special Contributor
Two political newcomers, Jackie Bescherer and Brittany Black, are running in the Democratic primary. Both oppose Texas’ voucher program and vow to increase public education funding.
Collin County, House District 67
Republican Rep. Jeff Leach, first elected in 2012, faces Matt Thorsen in a district that includes parts of Plano, Allen, McKinney and Melissa.
Leach has highlighted his conservative record, including legislation barring Shariah in Texas courts. He also served as a House impeachment manager during Attorney General Ken Paxton’s 2023 trial, a role he has defended amid backlash from activists.
Thorsen, a small business owner and former youth pastor, helped lead the effort to censure Leach last year. He has criticized Leach’s impeachment role and accused him of siding with Democrats on House rules.
Both support eliminating property taxes, expanding education savings accounts and oppose the development formerly known as EPIC City. Two Democrats are also running, though the district has leaned Republican.
Collin County, House District 70
Three Republicans are competing for the nomination to run against incumbent Democrat Mihaela Plesa, who is running unopposed in her party’s primary.
Democrat Mihaela Plesa responds to questions during a District 70 Candidate Forum hosted by Raise Your Hand Texas at Plano ISD Academy High School in Plano on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022.
Liesbeth Powers / Staff Photographer
George Flint, a former district judge and Collin County Republican Party Chair, emphasized eliminating property taxes and securing the border in his campaign.
Jack Ryan Gallagher, an attorney, said he would attract companies to North Texas, improve public schools and partner with local law enforcement if elected.
Michael Hewitt, an attorney, said he would gradually lower property taxes and work to keep Texas a business-friendly state.
The district includes parts of Plano, Richardson and Far North Dallas.
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