'It scares me': 12-year-old girl shot in Durham ran away, collapsed in empty lot

Thankfully, the girl is expected to survive. She is now the eighth child under the age of 18 to be shot in Durham this year.

According to the Durham Police Department, ShotSpotter technology notified officers of shots fired just before 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Neighbors in the area said the shooting started when several kids left a smoke shop in Durham. The girl was shot outside a business near South Street and Enterprise Street. She then ran down the street and collapsed in an empty parking lot.

Police then went to another scene at the intersection of Scout Drive and Lodge Street, where they spent hours searching a house near the intersection. Police confirmed both locations were connected.

The girl was transported to a local hospital by her parents with injuries described as life-threatening at the time, but is now in stable condition.

The owner of SS Tobacco and Vape says he suspects it was a drive-by shooting.

"Right now people are shooting from cars. They're driving and they're shooting and they run away," he said.

He told WRAL News this is the third or fourth shooting in the same spot since he bought the store two years ago.

One of those came way too close to hurting his own 7-year-old daughter.

"One time I had my daughter with me, and there was someone driving, same thing, shooting. They hit my car and my friend's car. So after that night, I said I don't bring no kids in the store," he said.

Sherry Williams, an anti-violence activist who lost two of her 21-year-old sons to gun violence, says her own son was murdered last year just a block away from that store.

"It scares me. It really scares me. And to be in broad daylight? That's when kids are out playing," she said. "It's getting worse. And they're getting younger."

Data from Durham Police shows 8 people under the age of 18 have been shot so far this year, and 24 people under 18 were shot last year.

As the victims keep trending younger, hopelessness is creeping in.

"At this point, I don't know what it's going to take to stop this gun violence," said Williams.

"We just ask God to help us. Nobody can control that," said the store owner.

The gunfire also shattered a passenger side window of a truck.

Police were unable to provide information on possible suspects.

WRAL News asked Durham police about the circumstances of the shooting. When asked if this shooting was random or targeted – or if she was she caught up in crossfire – police only said the shooting is under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200.