Crime report: Durham shootings up 20% in first half of 2023 compared to previous year, but fewer people shot

Shooting incidents in the first six months of this year in Durham are up 20% compared to the same time period last year.

Between January and June, there were 466 shootings in Durham, according to the city’s second quarter crime report.

However, the report shows 92 people were shot in the first six months of 2023, which is a 25% decrease compared to the first six months of 2022.

"I think a shooting that does not end up in someone being shot, we've just been very fortunate,” Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews said.

As of Saturday, Aug. 19, Durham police data shows 128 people have been shot this year and 25 people have died in those shootings.

On Thursday, Andrews presented the crime report to the Durham City Council. Here are some of the findings:

• From January through June, there were 23 homicides. It is the same number for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
• Reported rapes are up 31% from January 2022 -June 2022 compared to January 2023-June 2023.
• Compared to the year before, shooting incidents are up 20%, but the number of people shot is down 25%.
• Compared to the year before, property crime is up in burglary (13%), larceny (8%) and motor vehicle theft (153%).

A bright spot in the report is the high clearance rate for homicide cases, meaning cases solved. While the FBI average is 49%, Durham police’s clearance rate is 82.6% of cases solved so far this year.

"I know our investigators, oftentimes, we have to send them home because they will work 36 hours straight,” Andrews said. “I mean, they will work something. You can tell they're exhausted."

Durham police has a 22% vacancy rate for sworn officers as of Thursday.

"In spite of our staffing issues, the clearance rate on homicides is commendable,” said Durham Mayor Tempore Mark-Anthony Middleton. “It needs to be highlighted how hard you're working."

Andrews said the staffing issue is a reason she reassigned the Crime Area Target Team to patrol.

“We have to be able to respond to our priority one calls, all of our calls,” Andrews said. “The goal is reducing our response time."

Andrews said part of the increase in reported rapes is attributed to delayed reporting. Ten of the 19 clearances between January and June were cases from years ago.