8 people shot in Durham as city’s gun violence surges. Man shot in head is critical.

Durham police are investigating shootings that left eight people, including two teens, injured Monday night. A man shot in the head was in critical condition.

No arrests had been made as of Tuesday afternoon, the Police Department stated in a news release.

The arrests come as the city faces a surge in gun violence. As of Aug. 22, there had been 158 shooting incidents in Durham this year, with a total of 189 people shot, according to police. Those numbers do not include accidental and self-inflicted gunshots.

All told, violent crime is up nearly 15% this year according to police statistics. As of July 25, there had been 867 reported aggravated assaults, a 30% increase over the same period last year.

“Last night was tragic. It’s a continuation of a very disturbing pattern that we’re seeing in our city,” City Council member Mark-Anthony Middleton said. “What we realize is that there’s no particular zip code or neighborhood that exempts you from being touched by gun violence.”

The first shooting Monday was reported at 5:04 p.m. when a 15-year-old was dropped off at a hospital and told officers he was walking in East Durham when he was shot in the leg, the news release stated.

Police responded to a call on Delano Street, where a 17-year-old told officers he was walking when he was shot in the thigh from a white car, the release stated. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Officers responded to a shooting in the 1000 block of Fairview Street at 6:09 p.m., where police say three men standing outside were shot at from a gray SUV. A 26-year-old shot in the head was in critical condition Tuesday, according to the release. Another 26-year-old man and a 31-year-old man had non-life-threatening injuries, the release stated.

At 8:51 p.m., an officer near Cheek Road and Hardee Street was stopped by a man and woman in a car who said they had just been shot at in the 1100 block of Delano Street. A 22-year-old woman had been shot in her side, and a 21-year-old man shot in the leg. They were taken to the hospital, the release said.

Officers later were called to WakeMed Brier Creek where a 27-year-old man had gone with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He told officers he also had been shot on Delano Street.

Anyone with information about the Monday shooting on Fairview Street is asked to call Investigator Crumbley at 919-560-4440, ext. 29163 and anyone with information about the other shootings is asked to call Investigator Justice at 919-560-4440, ext. 29119.

People may also call CrimeStoppers at 919-683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases, has operators who speak Spanish, and callers never have to identify themselves.

New initiatives against violent crime

The police department has new initiatives on violent crimes, including one designed to increase officers’ visibility and response time on gun-related calls.

The department also recently created a Violent Crime Task Force, public information officer Kammie Michael said in a statement to The News & Observer. It will work with the Intelligence Unit, Gang Unit, patrol officers and other DPD employees to identify emerging trends and suspects.

The department is also deploying crisis-intervention-trained officers to address mental health concerns and another unit to offer outreach activities to children and adults to deter gang influence, Michael said.

Middleton said gun violence in Durham is long-standing and requires the city’s utmost attention.

“Although we may not have officially declared a state of emergency, for so many people in this city, it’s a de facto state of emergency,” he said. “I think we’ve got to treat it as such.”

City and county officials debate responses

City Council members heard a presentation last week on ShotSpotter, a gunshot-detection system used in many cities that uses sensors to pick up sounds that might be gunshots and alerts police.

A majority of the council rejected using ShotSpotter, although the company has offered Durham a six-month, free trial. Two council members said it would lead to more policing, while two questioned its effectiveness and long-term cost.

Middleton, who argued for the program, expressed frustration with the council’s opposition.

Durham city and county officials are also at a standstill on the planned community safety and wellness task force.

Mayor Pro Tem Jillian Johnson proposed the task force in March as a joint city-county effort. The group of criminal justice and education experts, among others, would brainstorm alternatives to policing and recommend new policies to the city.

County officials, however, dispute whether the task force will be quick or effective enough.

James Hill, vice chair for the county commissioners, said the task force should include members of law enforcement, to which Johnson disagreed.

Commissioner Brenda Howerton, who has lost two sons in shootings, said more Durham residents need to be included in the discussions.

This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 3:36 PM.