Durham Mayor Leo Williams called for more action to end gun violence, particularly among young people, at a Durham City Council meeting on Monday evening.

His remarks came just hours after a juvenile was shot near a Valero gas station on Alston Avenue. The juvenile died from his injuries. Police are searching for suspects.

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Williams said he has received hundreds of comments from concerned citizens but few solutions.

"Most of the comments were, 'Mayor, what are you going to do? You need to do something. The mayor isn't doing enough,'" Williams said. 

The mayor addressed the council and the community, saying he is "sick" of commentators and calling for real action and solutions.

This is not an easy fix, Williams said, and he mentioned ShotSpotter and Bull City United, initiatives which have both ended in Durham. ShotSpotter, a program that detects gunshots, was voted down by the city in 2024, and Bull City United, a program to address shootings, was discontinued in November 2024.

The Real Time Crime Center, a system for solving crimes faster, was sent back to staff in early February, delaying a vote on the program.

Williams said as many as five people were shot and killed in last several days, several under the age of 18. 

"I don't know why we're not up in arms about that," Williams said. "It's not complicated. Where are the activists? ... Go talk to parents [and] the community members who are living in this crap every single day ... go to where it's happening. I am tired of kids dying when they don't have to. If you're not coming to me with solutions, I don't have anything to say to you."

Williams said the city is working on a long-term strategy, using a three-phased, community-wide approach called the Violence Reduction Plan. According to the city's webpage, phase one of the program could be complete in the spring. The plan looks at other cities that are successfully reducing gun violence. 

"We have to ask ourselves, 'Are we really going to do this or not,'" Williams said. "There isn't anything right now...other than the status quo...I'll do my part, but, as you're walking out of the house, look in the mirror and ask yourself the same question."

In 2022, WRAL produced "Durham Under Fire," a documentary on shootings, gun-related violence and how city leaders and the police force dealt with such problems in Durham.

Timeline of recent shootings