A resident has filmed a group of men openly waging a gun battle in the street.
The footage was taken early on Wednesday morning just feet from homes in St. Ann's, Nottingham.
Glenford Green had rigged up the CCTV system to protect his garden from vandals.
The pictures clearly show three men dodging in and out of resident's cars before one pulls out a gun and fires.
It is unclear whether anyone was injured during the battle.
Mr Green says when he called the police they took almost an hour to arrive.
People living on the estate say they are living in fear.
One resident told a reporter she wants to move out.
She said: "I've got a 15-month old baby. I'm just wanting to move out of here.
"I've had enough of living around here now I've heard about the gun fight. Anyone can get shot."
The shoot-out shows just how close the guns are getting to ordinary people in Nottingham.
Glenford Green was disturbed to discover the loud bangs were not fireworks as he thought, but bullets being fired yards from his doorstep.
Mr Green said: "It's a shocking experience to see that in front of your eyes.
"It used to be a very nice area but now things have got out of hand.
"Crazy people are running around."
Residents are calling for more help and better police protection.
Very few people were willing to speak to the BBC, one who did said: "I can't see no change.
"The police aren't pulling together and knocking door to door reassuring people. Somebody needs to sort it out."
Nottinghamshire Police insist the situation is not getting out of hand.
A force spokesman told the BBC that Operation Stealth, its dedicated gun and drug initiative, recovered 180 firearms in 2002 and said things in St. Ann's are improving.