Man, 23, arrested in fatal February shooting in Durham

Update: On March 26 police announced Sayquon Bowens, 23, of Durham, was arrested and charged with murder in Tavarus Joyner’s death.

The Durham Police Department is investigating after a man was found fatally shot on the sidewalk just south of downtown minutes before midnight Feb. 11.

The victim, 47-year-old Tavarus Joyner, was found in the 200 block of East Umstead Street at 11:57 p.m. and was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to a news release. East Umstead Street is off Fayetteville Street in the Hayti community.

It was one of at least two reported shootings in Durham on Feb. 11.

A 13-year-old boy was injured in a drive-by shooting around 9:15 p.m. in the 1100 block of Rosedale Avenue, according to ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner.

The teen was walking when someone in a passing car fired in his direction. He is expected to survive, ABC11 reported.

As of Feb. 7, 15 people had been shot this year in Durham, down from 18 shot by the same time last year, police statistics show.

Four of this year’s shootings, as of Feb. 7, had been fatal, compared to three the year before.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cpl. L. Sprinkle at 919-560-4440 ext. 29248 or CrimeStoppers at 919-683-1200 or online at www.durhamcrimestoppers.org. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards of up to $2,000 for information leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers never have to identify themselves.

This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 8:13 AM.