Pistol found at scene of Durham shooting that left 2 teens dead, 4 injured
This story was updated Dec. 16, 2021, after Durham police sent The News & Observer a corrected police report.
Police found a semi-automatic pistol at the scene of a Monday shooting that left two teenagers dead and four others injured, newly released records show.
The shooting occurred around 3 a.m. near the intersection of Mathison and Eugene streets in eastern Durham, where police found a black Hyundai SUV crashed into a utility pole and six people who had been shot.
Investigators recovered a KelTec P11 firearm at the scene, according to a police report obtained by The News & Observer on Thursday. The now discontinued 9 mm firearm was designed for concealed carry, according to the company website.
Police declined to provide more information, leaving it unclear whether the gun was in or outside of the SUV.
Isaiah Carrington, 19, and Ariuna Cotton, a 15-year-old Hillside High School student, were killed in the shooting.
A 13-year-old boy and three girls, ages 16, 13 and 12 years old, survived the shooting with injuries. A 15-year-old boy also present at the scene was unharmed.
One of the surviving victims remained in critical condition as of Tuesday.
The SUV, a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, had been reported stolen in Durham the day before the shooting, police said.
Chief Patrice Andrews has said the shooting did not appear to be random, but as of Thursday, police had not announced any suspects or arrests or provided a motive for the shooting.
A balloon release vigil will take place at the crime scene at 5 p.m. Thursday to honor Cotton’s life.
There have been at least 45 homicides in Durham this year. Though overall shootings are down from 2020, that is the most killings in the Bull City since at least 1995, according to readily available police records.
At a Monday news conference, city and county leaders called for the violence to end.
“There is no room in our city for this type of violence,” Andrews said. “It’s senseless. It’s beyond tragic. And lives are forever going to be changed.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 2:25 PM.