One-fourth of Durham's shooting victims in 2023 have been younger than 18, data shows

At least 21 people younger than the age of 18 have been shot this year among the city of Durham's 78 shootings, data shows as of June 3.

Posted 9:28 p.m. Jun 13 — Updated 12:19 a.m. Jun 14

Sarah Krueger

, WRAL Durham reporter

DURHAM, N.C. — Youth violence is exploding in Durham, according to new numbers obtained Tuesday by WRAL News.

Some 20 people younger than the age of 18 were shot this year in Durham, the data shows as of June 3. Overall, 78 people have been shot during the same period in the Bull City.

Since then, we know at least one other juvenile was shot. On Monday, a 17-year-old boy was shot at the Cornwallis public housing community on Weaver Street near East Cornwallis Road.

Juvenile shot in Durham Monday afternoon

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Durham has 291,928 people as of July 1, 2022. About 19.9% of them are younger than the age of 18.

Here’s how other nearby cities and towns compare in terms of juveniles shot in 2023 compared to the overall population:

Chapel Hill:

0 juveniles shot
62,098 people

Fayetteville

Six juveniles shot
208,873 people

Garner:

0 juveniles shot
33,669 people

Morrisville:

0 juveniles shot
31,493 people

Raleigh:

Four juveniles shot
476,587 people

Note: Number of juveniles shot is courtesy of the town or city listed. The population size is courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Father blames gangs for youth violence

The pain of losing a child is one that Rene Hernandez knows personally. His 15-year-old son was killed at the end of last year, and his homicide remains unsolved.

In Spanish, Hernandez said he stays busy during the days at work in construction. When he’s home, he said he cries for how much he misses his son. Hernandez has a suspicion of what is beyond the youth violence.

“It’s gangs,” Hernandez said. “Yeah, it’s the gangs.”

Bull City Bulldogs youth football team director Fred Evans uses the sport to reach kids and promote nonviolence.

“You have to start somewhere,” Evans said. “And, if it takes sports to get their attention, that’s what we’re willing to go with.”

Bull City Bulldogs is planning the fifth Annual Youth Summit and newly named Youth Engagement Showcase. It is set for noon to 4 p.m. on June 24 at the Holton Career and Resource Center at 401 North Driver St. The event is free and open to kids ages 6 to 17.

“With the amount of violence that's going on, we decided we would get people who had been to prison, ex-gang members, ex-drug offenders, we would get them to come speak from their testimony,” Evans said.

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