GREENSBORO, N.C. — Since January 1, High Point Police confiscated 189 guns off the streets. That's more than one a day, on average. They say the vast majority are illegal, meaning that they were stolen, used during a crime, or taken from a felon.
From the middle of last week, into the holiday weekend, gunfire sounded across neighborhoods streets in High Point. Police responded to the calls, took illegal guns, identified suspects, and breathed a sigh of relief - that despite almost a dozen calls, no one was killed in the crossfire.
"It's the definition of reckless," said Lieutenant Curtis Cheeks, "When we'll look at these incidents happening, especially when we have groups of individuals going back-and-forth, shooting at each other - they’re not thinking about the people who are not involved. They’re not thinking about other cars driving down the road or other houses in the area or neighborhood."
For many neighbors, the shots ring out far too often.
"It's been very hard for us to be able to accept the fact that when we open our doors and when we get in our cars, and we're on the way to our jobs, and we're on the way to pick up our kids from school - we could potentially be a victim of a crime that has nothing to do with us," said Damorius Fuller-Ali, a longtime High Point resident, and community advocate.
Lt. Cheeks says the seizure of the 189 guns will help cut down on crime.
"That's 189 fewer opportunities for someone to become a victim of a violent crime, or for it to be used in a violent crime," he explained.
But Fuller-Ali says, that alone doesn't fully solve the violence problem so many have grown accustomed to.
"Is taking 189 guns off the street going to change the anger within these people or these individuals hearts and mind frames?" he asked.
He has a message to those involved in the violence.
"Ask yourself the real question: are you trying to live? Or are you trying to be one of these people who don't know what life is really about, just waiting for death to come knocking on your door?" he said.
For perspective, Greensboro police say they've taken 513 guns off the street so far this year, but haven't said whether all of those are illegal. That's more than three guns a day, on average.