'I'm going to die': Victim's emotional 911 call released from road rage shooting in Durham
Newly-released 911 calls give new insight into the moments after a man was shot in a road rage fight on Highway 15/501 in Durham.
Several people called 911 after the shooting from the afternoon of April 21. WRAL News acquired access to the recordings Wednesday morning through a public records request.
One of the callers said he believed he was paralyzed from the gunfire after being shot in the back.
"I’ve been shot. I’m on the highway. Oh my God. I’m paralyzed I think. I can’t stop my car. I can’t move my legs. I’m on 15-501. Man, I’m going to die."
The calls reveal that an office building nearby was hit. The shooting happened between the exit for Cornwallis Road and Durham Chapel-Hill Boulevard split.
A friend of the victim identified him as Chris Stinnett, the current manager of Rise Southern Biscuits in Raleigh, and the former owner of well-known Durham restaurants Pop’s and Rue Cler.
The call went on for eight minutes as he described the circumstances leading up to the shooting and his fear.
"Somebody shot me on the side of the highway. He almost hit me ... And he shot me."
"I was just looking straight ahead. I heard gunshots. He fired three or four. And then I felt this thing in my back and I can’t move my legs."
A GoFundMe page for Stinnett said he remains in the hospital “with a bullet remaining in his back and a long road of recovery ahead of him.” The page states Stinnett does not have health insurance to cover the emergency room costs, time spent in the surgical intensive care unit and upcoming physical therapy appointments.
Police said that the shooter was driving a dark-colored SUV, possibly a Ford Explorer. No arrests have been made.
Expert: How to protect yourself against road rage
Over the past month, there have been four separate road rage shootings reported in Durham. Six people were injured and one person was killed in the shootings, according to the Durham police department.
Durham police investigator Howard Henry, with Durham's traffic and crash team, teaches a class called "Right Choice" for people who have received citations related to road rage.
Henry said that Durham has seen an increase in road rage shootings due to stressors from the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the start of pandemic, the Federal Bureau of Investigations reported that nearly 40 million guns were purchased in a single year. That's higher than any other year on record.
According to the 2021 National Firearms Survey, nearly half of all Americans report having access to a firearm.
"Now it just seems to be about the guns. It would not benefit you to get into a tangle with somebody who's got road rage," he said. "Don't do anything to antagonize anyone that's upset, even if you're in the right."
Since the pandemic, more people are getting involved in road rage incidents related to speeding — sometimes while traveling 100 mph, Henry said.
Henry said that people should drive defensively and try not to blow their horn.
"Road rage is real. You don't want to be out there honking your horn, because you don't know who you're dealing with," he said.
"Don’t make eye contact with people that you think are a road rage problem," he added. "Just keep forward. If you can move out of somebody’s way, move over and let them pass."
If you feel that the situation is escalating — for example, if the upset driver follows you — don't stop driving and call 911.
