Person shot by Durham officer at ‘car club’ racing event is 16 years old, police say
The person shot by a police officer during a racing meetup in southern Durham is a 16-year-old boy now facing multiple charges, the Durham Police Department said Monday.
The shooting occurred shortly after midnight near Woodcroft Shopping Center and the intersection of Hope Valley and Garrett roads after police responded to a report of “car club” racing in the area, The News & Observer previously reported.
When Cpl. R. McQueen arrived, he tried to break up the crowd, but “objects” were thrown at him and his car, prompting him to confront and chase the 16-year-old, who had thrown them, according to a Police Department news release.
“During the short foot pursuit, the suspect brandished a handgun and refused to drop the weapon after repeated calls to drop it,” a news release stated. “The suspect raised the handgun and was shot by the officer.”
The teen then allegedly dropped the gun, kept running and got into a car with other people, according to the release.
Another officer stopped the car and provided medical attention to the teen until Emergency Medical Services arrived. The teen was hospitalized in stable condition as of Sunday, police said.
He was shot twice, police said Monday.
McQueen, an 18-year veteran of the Police Department assigned to the Uniform Patrol Bureau, was wearing his body-worn camera during the chase, according to the release.
The handgun was recovered as evidence, and the teen was charged via juvenile petition with assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer, possession of a handgun by a minor and resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer, according to police.
ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner, obtained security video from a nearby business that captured the sounds of engines and screeching tires just after midnight and then cars and people fleeing as police arrive.
In standard procedure following police shootings, McQueen was placed on administrative leave, and the State Bureau of Investigation will review the incident. The Durham Police Department’s Professional Standards Division will also investigate the shooting, police said.
This story was originally published November 18, 2024 at 9:17 AM.
