'Shooting constantly:' Data shows highest percentage of gun violence happens in this specific, small part of Durham

Of the nearly 400 shootings in Durham in the first half of 2022 year, nearly a fifth of them happened within just one square mile.

WRAL Data Trackers analyzed public records to show that the area right around the Durham Police Department headquarters has more shootings than any other part of the city.

Data shows there is a small percentage of people dealing with a high percentage of the violence.

"It's bad. That's all I can say. It's bad," says Charlitta Burruss, who says she worries about a bullet coming through her window as she goes to sleep at night.

Her neighborhood had 33 shootings in the first six months of this year – more than anywhere else in the city. Despite those fears, she can't move somewhere she'd feel safer.

"I can’t afford to move anywhere else because of affordable housing. There’s nowhere to move," she says.

She says the data uncovered by WRAL News doesn't surprise her.

"Since I've been living here, we've had deaths at the corner, at the store down there. Deaths right here at the park. Shooting constantly," she says.

The second highest number of shootings was just south of Burruss's neighborhood, in the area of the McDougald Terrace public housing complex – where there were 30 shootings.

Together, those neighborhoods account for only 2% of Durham County's population, yet 16% of shootings in the city.

Burruss says she thinks the solution to addressing violence in the community is for people to be more proactive. She wants the community to work more closely with police.

Census data shows in Burruss's neighborhood 61% of kids under 18 are below the poverty line. That stat rises to 77% in the area just south.

She also thinks they need something to be proud of, and that the children need somewhere safe to be.

That's why Burruss is focused on fixing up Edgemont Park. She's been hosting clean-ups and getting trees planted.

"I want to see it come back. I want to see families play again. I want to see children come," she says. "If we don’t come together, it’s going to always be this way. We gotta come to the table."

Both of the census tracts with the highest number of shootings are going to be part of the gunshot detection pilot program coming to Durham called ShotSpotter.

Some in the community are not sure -- but they are hopeful -- it could help. They are eager for solutions, so they are open-minded.