8 people shot, 2 of them dead, in less than 24 hours in Durham
Four shootings in less than 24 hours left two people dead and seven others injured, Durham police reported.
The string of shootings began Monday night when one person was killed and four people were injured after two drive-by shootings that happened minutes apart.
The first shooting occurred at 10:23 p.m. in the 1200 block of Wabash Street, part of the McDougald Terrace public housing community, police said.
Two men were walking near the street when shots were fired from a dark-colored car. One man was shot in the hand, and the other in the leg.
Six minutes later, a second shooting was reported at North Dillard and Liberty streets near the Urban Ministries of Durham campus.
Three people at a bus stop were injured, one of them fatally, by someone shooting from a dark-colored car, police said. The person fatally shot was later identified as Kerry Graham Jr., 24, of Durham, police said. He was shot in the chest and died at the hospital, police said. Of the injured, one woman was grazed in the hip. A man was shot in the left shoulder.
Tuesday shootings
On Tuesday, police responding to a shooting in the 100 block of North Driver Street before 2 p.m. found a man who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said Wednesday that 17-year-old Zaeveon Hershel Tucker was killed while walking across Driver Street. Police said a vehicle drove by, and an occupant or occupants shot at him. Tucker was shot at least once in the back, police said.
He fell in the front yard of Shepherd’s House United Methodist Church, where police found him.
At 5:30 p.m., Tuesday police arrived on the scene of a fourth shooting. At least three people were injured near the corner of Watts Street and Club Boulevard across from Northgate Mall, police said.
A man was shot with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening and was taken to Duke Regional Hospital. Another man with a gunshot wound and a woman injured by flying debris arrived at the hospital later, police said.
Witnesses say multiple shots were fired from at least one vehicle. There were multiple shell casings in the area.
No arrests have been made in any of the shootings.
Urban Ministries of Durham
None of the people harmed near the Urban Ministries campus were shelter residents, staff members or volunteers, executive director Sheldon Mitchell said in an email Tuesday.
“Last night’s tragedy underscores the importance of UMD’s mission and the urgency of creating wider change — so that all of our neighbors have a genuine chance for a life filled with purpose, security and longevity,” Mitchell said in the email.
Urban Ministries is also taking steps to increase safety. The campus will be closed to non-residents until 30 minutes before dinner, police will provide additional patrols and a second sheriff’s deputy will be present from 5 to 10 p.m.
As of Oct. 19, there had been 32 homicides in Durham, compared to 27 at the same time last year, according to the Police Department website.
In June, the City Council rejected Police Chief C.J. Davis’ request for 18 additional officers.
This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 3:34 PM with the headline "8 people shot, 2 of them dead, in less than 24 hours in Durham."