Residents evacuated as police searched for Durham shooting suspect

Durham police said officers responded to a shooting in the 500 block of North Maple Street at 3:08 p.m. and found a man and woman with gunshot wounds.

Both were taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities responded to a second shooting in the 2400 block of Harvard Avenue at 3:17 p.m. and found a man who had been shot. He was also taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Durham police officers and the department's SWAT team were on Taylor Street for more than five hours Thursday evening after they believed they had cornered the man linked to both shootings. They believed the suspected gunman was either inside an apartment on the street or had fled from an apartment in that area.

"At this particular time, we have made entry into that location and the suspect was not at that location," said Durham Police Chief Cerelyn Davis.

Taylor Street was blocked off while police were on the scene and some residents were forced to evacuate their homes as a precaution. The situation was unnerving for some who lived nearby.

"This is a quiet neighborhood; you don't see this type of activity around this neighborhood and when you see police out here like this, it kind of scares you," said resident Roosevelt Cromartie.

While some neighbors were frustrated about being out of their homes for more than five hours, Davis said it was all in the interest of public safety.

"We anticipated using some types of chemicals and you let individuals know what's going on so that they aren't afraid," she said.

Residents were allowed back into their homes Thursday night and police cleared the scene, saying they will continue to follow leads in the investigation.

No arrests have been made.