Durham, other communities come together for National Night Out

With the recent mass shootings in California, Texas and Ohio, the country is going through some tense moments. Tuesday's National Night Out served as a chance for law enforcement and members of communities to come together to have some fun, play games, eat food and develop and strengthen a bond between everyone.

In Durham, National Night Out kicked off a continued commitment to reduce gun violence. Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said just this weekend, three people were victims of gun violence. After the recent mass shootings, he said he's working on strategies to help reduce gun violence in Durham. He said the sheriff’s office will be relentless in getting illegal firearms off the streets.

Tuesday night, community members interacted with police in a positive environment. Children said they’ve seen police in their neighborhood responding to crime. This time around, they played games with officers.

“It was actually pretty fun today," said Daniel Boston, a resident who participated in Tuesday's event in Durham.

Birkhead said he and his staff will continue to work with local and federal partners on strategies to make the community safer.