The cases when ShotSpotter data was used in court present a unique privacy conundrum. 37-year-old Oakland resident Tyrone Lyles’s last words were, “Why you done me like that R? R, why you do me like that dude?” Those last moments were recorded and sent to the authorities via ShotSpotter. The recordings were used as evidence to convict Arliton Johnson, Lyles' shooter, of first-degree murder.

Similarly, in New Bedford, Connecticut, a man named Michael Pina yelled “No, Jason! No, Jason!” in 2012 after being shot. Nearby sensors heard his cries, recorded them, and hurled authorities into action. Police then arrested and convicted two men in connection with Pina’s murder.