Gun violence grips Durham as spate of shootings leave 6 hurt

Six people were hurt Monday during four separate shootings over a span of seven hours in Durham, where municipal leaders have been grappling in recent days with how to curb gun violence in the city.

Posted 10:25 p.m. Aug 26, 2019 — Updated 10:51 p.m. Aug 27, 2019

Sloane Heffernan, WRAL reporter,

and

Alfred Charles, WRAL.com managing editor

DURHAM, N.C. — A Durham man was injured when he was shot and wounded by a BB gun while riding his bike home from the store Monday night, one of several shootings that occurred in the city which is grappling with a wave of gun violence.

Shahid AsSalam, 71, was struck from behind while riding on Nantucket Avenue near Lynn Drive around 11:15 p.m.

"I didn’t know what type of bullet it was," he said. "I knew I was shot because I heard the gun."

AsSalam, a Vietnam veteran, said the projectile is still lodged in his arm, and the shooting triggered a flashback of attacks on the battlefield.

"Here it is 50 years later, and I get shot again in the same arm," he said.

AsSalam and five other people were hurt Monday during four separate shootings over a span of seven hours in Durham.

The shootings occurred between 4:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., and all of the victims were taken to area hospitals for treatment of what were believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

No arrests have been made in either case, and police have not yet publicly disclosed a motive in either of the incidents.

Shortly after 9 p.m., occupants inside a dark colored sedan began shooting at two people outside a building in the 200 block of W. Enterprise Street. Both victims were wounded during the drive-by. Multiple shell casings were found in the area as police investigated the incident.
A 24-year-old man was shot in the arm around 7:30 p.m. while standing in a parking lot at 3528 Danube Lane. Police said someone in a blue car drove by and opened fire on the victim, who suffered a gunshot wound to the arm.
Two men were shot and wounded about 4:45 p.m. at Shirley and Crests streets when someone in a white Mazda drove by and opened fire. Police have not yet said publicly if the victim knew the person who shot them or what prompted the gunfire. Several officers responded to the scene and police erected yellow crime scene tape in the area while they combed the location for clues.
A 71-year-old man was riding his bicycle in the 3200 block of Nantuckett Avenue around 11:15 p.m. when he was struck by a BB gun pellet. Neighbors who live in this area said there has not been a shooting in the area for several years. One resident said the effort to curb crime has to involve more than just police. "It's the parents," said Jack Rose. "They more or less want a babysitter."

Investigators asked anyone with information about the cases to call Durham police.

The shootings occurred just a few days after Durham city leaders said they would step up their efforts to reduce gun violence in the city.

Teen killed in Durham as city leaders struggle with ways to battle gun violence

That pledge came on the heels of a shooting in which a 9-year-old boy was killed while on an outing to get ice cream Sunday night. An 8-year-old boy in the car was also shot in the arm during the incident.

Durham officials have said that local and federal law enforcement agencies will work more closely to arrest and prosecute people for gun crimes but they are also asking for the community to join in the effort.

"This senseless, unspeakable act has galvanized our community for action," Durham Mayor Steve Schewel said last week while talking about the death of the 9-year-old, Z'yon Person. "This is a tragedy beyond words, but it is not a tragedy beyond action."

Person's funeral is Tuesday.

In June, Durham City Council voted to remove funding for 18 additional police officers from the proposed 2019-20 budget.

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