DPD credits Project Green Light for shooter's quick arrest

DETROIT (WJBK) - The Detroit Police Department is crediting a new program for providing crystal clear images of a woman wanted for shooting at a man at a Detroit gas station on Sunday.

The high defintion cameras led to the arrest of the woman who was seen pulling a gun from her skirt and firing shots into a car parked outside of the Mobil gas station at Fenkell and Greenfield. The woman shot at the driver of the car, who then ran over another man standing outside of the car. Police say the violence was the result of a heated argument between the people in two different cars.

The shooting happened around 4:30 Sunday morning and DPD says recently installed Project Green Light cameras captured it all and sent the footage to DPD in real-time. Once they released the footage to the media, police were able to identify the woman and arrest her outside her home less than two hours later. Mayor Mike Duggan said the Green Light gas stations are having a positive effect - and not just in preventing crime.

"There's no question it's having a deterrent affect, everyone of the green light gas station owners says incidents are down and sales are up," Duggan said.

Duggan and Police Chief James Craig spoke to the media on Monday, one day after the crime and the same day the woman was taken into custody. They both called the arrest a victory in their effort to make Detroit gas stations safer.

"There should be one clear message: criminals, don't do it in Detroit. You never know who's watching," Craig said.

The high-def cameras are currently at 11 gas stations, liquor stores and fast-food restaurants around Detroit and all are under 24-hour surveillance by police. Owners of the Mobil station are grateful to have had the cameras in place while the owner of the Citgo across the street is taking note.

"It's costly. You're looking at $5,000-$6,000 if you want to do the whole nine yards," Fred Bazzi said.

Bazzi owns several gas stations in the Detroit area and has a station further down Greenfield that's already connected to Green Light. He plans on investing the technology into his other stations soon.

Police say the person shot in the car and man run over have non-life threatening injuries. The woman is still in custody and will soon be brought up on charges. Her identity has not been released.