Man fatally shot in Raleigh crossfire was volunteering for Helping Hand Mission
A 31-year-old man killed Saturday night in Southeast Raleigh was caught in the crossfire between occupants of two cars, according to a 911 caller.
Charlie Cook Debnam was volunteering at a Helping Hand Mission on Rock Quarry Road, when he crossed the street to get something to drink and was shot, the organization told ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner.
He died at a hospital, the Raleigh Police Department said Sunday.
Debnam was a drum major for the Helping Hand Mission Band, which performs at parades and other events across the state, according to the mission’s website.
A 911 call released Monday reported an injured man lying on the side of the road.
The caller said people in two cars were shooting at each other when the man was hit.
“I think he was walking by,” the caller said.
Laura Hourigan, a spokeswoman for Raleigh police, confirmed that Debnam was an unintended victim.
Debnam is the second Helping Hand Mission drum major killed in recent years.
Keonte Gause, 34, was found dead in a car on Wake Forest Road in 2019, The N&O reported.
Police did not say how Gause died. A 19-year-old was charged with murder in the incident.
Seven people shot in eight days
In the eight days from July 24 to Saturday, seven people were shot in Raleigh.
A drive-by shooting near downtown Tuesday morning injured three people last week, The N&O reported.
Three other non-fatal shootings took place in that span: on Perry Creek Road, Stony Brook Drive and Shanda Drive.
All of the victims were taken to hospitals for treatment, police said at the time.
As of July 27, Raleigh had seen 14 people die from gun violence and a total of 467 crimes involving firearms, according to police data. Those figures are both higher than in the previous two years.
In 2020, Raleigh had seen 12 shooting homicides and 370 crimes involving guns by July 27. For 2019, those figures were nine and 351, respectively.
Police are asking those with information about the Saturday fatal shooting to call Raleigh CrimeStoppers at 919-834-HELP or visit raleighcrimestoppers.org for text and email reporting options. Those who provide anonymous tips that help solve cases can earn cash rewards.
This story was originally published August 1, 2021 at 10:37 AM.