Columbia Police Use Flock Cameras to Identify Shooting Suspects
Investigators used license plate readers and surveillance footage to arrest seven adults and detain a 16-year-old in a downtown shooting.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Columbia police used Flock automated license plate readers and surveillance cameras to identify suspects in an Oct. 31 shooting near North Eighth and East Walnut streets that wounded a 36-year-old woman. Seven people were arrested and a 16-year-old was detained, and eight suspects face weapons-related charges.
Why it matters
The case shows how police are relying on automated license plate readers and camera networks when few witnesses come forward. It also puts the city's use of the technology under public scrutiny ahead of a council hearing.
Eight suspects face charges tied to unlawful possession or use of a weapon, and investigators recovered 11 firearms within six days of the shooting. The woman, 36, is hospitalized in stable condition, and the investigation is ongoing.
The players
Columbia Police Department
The municipal police agency that responded to the shooting and led the investigation using Flock camera technology.
Barbara Buffaloe
The mayor of Columbia, who expects the council discussion to weigh how the technology helps police while protecting privacy.
De'Carlon Seewood
The Columbia city manager, who expects the police department to explain camera use and safeguards.
The details
Police responded to reports of gunfire near North Eighth and East Walnut streets in the early morning of Oct. 31 and found a woman with a gunshot wound to her back. Investigators used automated license plate readers, city-owned safety cameras, and private business surveillance footage to track vehicles leaving the scene.
Timeline
Oct. 31, 2026: Shooting near North Eighth and East Walnut streets
Within six days: Eight arrests and recovery of 11 firearms
Friday, Nov. 6, 2026: Police chief holds news conference on the investigation
Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, 6 p.m.: City Council public hearing on Flock cameras at City Hall
Legal Context
Columbia has used Flock automated license plate readers since early 2025 and runs live-view surveillance cameras through the same system. The shooting case puts that network's investigative value directly against the privacy questions the council will weigh at its hearing.
Residents near the downtown corridor may see continued camera-based investigations in their neighborhoods. The council's decision on the Flock contract will determine whether this technology stays in use for local policing.
The takeaway
Camera networks can speed investigations when witnesses are scarce, but the trade-off between investigative value and privacy is now being decided in public. Residents who want a say can attend the council hearing.
What happens next
The City Council holds a public hearing on Flock cameras Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, at 6 p.m. at City Hall, and the city is weighing other vendors if the Flock contract is not continued.
Further reading
For more on how local agencies use surveillance tools, see Law Enforcement coverage.
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