Local News

Raleigh homicides reach highest number in a decade

With 29 deaths by homicide, 2019 is ranking among the more deadly in recent history for the City of Oaks.

Posted Updated

By
Ken Smith
, anchor/reporter
RALEIGH, N.C. — Two men were killed and three others were injured in a series of violent crimes that occurred in a 24-hour span on Sunday, according to Raleigh police. With 29 deaths by homicide, 2019 is ranking among the more deadly in recent history for the City of Oaks.

It has been more than 10 years since Raleigh recorded that many homicides. In 2008, the city counted 35 victims of homicide. That year was the most deadly since 1991.

So far this year, 98 people have been shot but not killed, according to police data. That is down from 103 shot in 2018 and 113 in 2017.

Series of violent incidents makes Sunday bloody in Raleigh

Raleigh police said Sunday night they were investigating a shooting in the 2700 block of South Saunders Street near Interstate 40.

When police arrived at the scene at 8:30 p.m., they found a man suffering from what were believed to be non-life-threatening injures after he was shot in the leg, according to a statement issued by police.

The victim, whose identity was pending, was taken for treatment to WakeMed. His condition was not immediately available.

The Sunday evening shooting was the last in a string of violent incidents that began just after midnight, including:
  • A man checked himself into WakeMed with non-life-threatening injuries after a shooting around 12:50 a.m. at Fiddle Stix, a gas station at 4413 Capital Boulevard.
  • Around 1:30 a.m., the Raleigh Police Department responded to a call of shots fired at the 30+ Club on Rush Street in southeast Raleigh. Police said one man was found suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot. He was taken to WakeMed but did not survive. Later in the morning, two other men from the same club sought treatment at WakeMed for stab wounds, in an incident believed to be related to the shooting.
  • A second man died after a shooting that occurred around 2:20 a.m. at 1407 Crest Street off Varsity Drive near North Carolina State University, officials said. The victim was transported to WakeMed with life-threatening injuries and died at the hospital.

The identities of the victims were not provided, and no arrests were announced.

In an interview Sunday with WRAL News, Raleigh police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown lamented the violence.

"It's unfortunate that this is what our weekend looks like here in the capital city," she said. "This cannot be the norm to deal with whatever issues, disagreements (and) conflicts that are existing."

The chief said she stands by her fire arms violence reduction strategy, which is a plan to curb gun violence and reduce deaths by 10%.

"Our city, collectively, is better than what I'm seeing," she said. "Our community is better than what we're seeing, and we each have a responsibility."

According to police, there have been 29 murders in Raleigh so far this year, a slight uptick from the same time last year.

"This has got to stop and there's got to be a level of intolerance coming from the community," Deck-Brown said.

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