A double shooting that left a mother and daughter dead in Worcester, Massachusetts, is highlighting the dangers of rapid-fire weaponry.
The NBC10 Boston Investigators reported last week on the Worcester Police Department's concern over tiny objects known as "switches," "giggle switches" or "machine gun conversion" devices.
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The Tuesday afternoon shooting near the intersection of Lisbon Street and Englewood Avenue killed Chasity Nunez and her daughter, Zella.
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Dozens of rounds were fired in the incident. Worcester police say they have seen an uptick in shootings recently, and in some, they've seen an incredible amount of firepower.
Video of police investigating showed multiple shots hit the windshield and driver's side window of the vehicle the victims were in. More than 30 evidence markers can be seen on the ground, marking the shell casings from the bullets that were fired.
Data obtained by the NBC10 Boston Investigators shows there were 98 shootings in Worcester in a two-year period where 10 or more shots were fired — a total of 1,322 rounds.
"They have so much ammo in these weapons that they go out there and fire," Sgt. Steve Roche of the Worcester Police Department's gang unit told NBC10 Boston. "We go now and we're seeing some of these officers recovered 18, 20 rounds at a single scene. It's nothing to go and get a minimum of 10 to 12, and we're seeing that commonplace now."
Police say they have seen a dangerous trend of gun switches being used, enabling a handgun to unleash about 20 bullets a second.
There has been no word that a switch was used in Tuesday's shooting, which remains under investigation. No arrests have been made.
