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Durham police shootout prompted by two vehicles entering crime scene of separate shooting

Durham police officers were investigating a shooting on Sunday night when they found themselves in the line of fire after two vehicles brazenly drove through a crime scene and fired shots.

Posted Updated

By
Lora Lavigne & Monica Casey
, WRAL Durham reporters
DURHAM, N.C. — Durham police officers were investigating a shooting on Sunday night when they found themselves in the line of fire after two vehicles brazenly drove through a crime scene and fired shots.

Officers responded to a shooting in the 1000 block of Worth Street around 10 p.m. Investigators did not find anyone who was shot, but did find a vehicle at the intersection of Elm Street and E. Main Street which had been struck by gunfire. No one was inside the vehicle.

After officers had blocked off the surrounding stretch of road, drivers in two vehicles turned down E. Main Street and drove through the crime scene while shooting, according to police. Two officers shot at the suspects in response. A release from police did not include whether those inside the vehicles fired shots directly at officers.

Both vehicles fled the scene. No officers were hurt.

Police learned a man walked into a nearby hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound on Sunday night. Investigators learned this man was involved in the initial shooting at E. Main Street and Elm Street.

The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.

Over the weekend, there were two shootings that occurred within a mile of each other along Holloway Street in east Durham in a span of under 24 hours.

Community activists and police representatives say they're fed up with the violence. With many openings within Durham Police Department, they said having two more officers off the street doesn't help people feel safer.

Eat Durham organizer Charlitta Burrus said she wants to see change in her community. She hosted an event in Edgewood Park on Saturday afternoon to showcase job opportunities and bring neighbors together.

"It was a real success. I must say, it was a real success," said Burrus.

Durham Fraternal Order of Police spokesman Larry Smith said Sunday night's incident speaks to the danger that police face on the job.

"Things happen so quickly, whether it's a domestic disturbance that seems to be going OK, and all of a sudden, it erupts in violence or it's a situation when an officer thinks they're just working a shooting scene, and then all of a sudden, you've got two cars in the middle of the scene shooting at each other," said Smith.

Burrus believes the change starts at home by teaching young people to end arguments peacefully.

"We have to figure out how to bring the family structure back," said Burrus.

Monday night, Durham leaders will try to find solutions to gun violence as officials will hold a community conversation with the CEO of ShotSpotter. The company's technology detects gun shots and notifies police.

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