BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is calling the number of gunshots detected in the East Lake neighborhood last year unacceptable.
During Tuesday's Birmingham City Council meeting, it was announced that ShotSpotter reported 2,164 gunshots in the neighborhood's area alone.
This news come just one day after the city launched the Project Safe Streets initiative, which limits entry points to the neighborhood.
“We will continue to partner with the alphabets -- DEA, ATF, FBI -- the U.S. Attorney on various drug-affiliated and criminal activity," Woodfin said. "We will continue to focus on gun violence city-wide."
The mayor also mentioned authorities will focus on combating prostitution, illegal dumping and drug dealing in the neighborhood.
East Lake residents were concerned to hear the number of shots, but say they are not surprised.
Robin Willis describes the area as a war zone. She says she takes extra precautions in her daily life, such as not leaving her house at night, due to criminal activity and gun violence.
“You can’t just live and say, I’m perfectly fine or it just doesn’t bother me, you have to be safe,” Willis said.
Woodfin reiterated the main goal of Project Safe Streets is to stop people from driving into neighborhoods and firing weapons.