Teen killed in Durham as city leaders struggle with ways to battle gun violence

The teenager died after being shot in the chest at an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Chapel Hill Road shortly before 8:30 p.m., police said.

He was later identified as Kylik Burnette, of Durham.

About 3 miles away from the shooting, City Council members vowed to come up with a concrete plan to stop such shootings in Durham.

"As long as we have the guns that we have on our streets in the United States, as long as we are doing nothing as a nation and a state to stop the proliferation of guns, we are going to have this gun violence," Mayor Steve Schewel said.

The effort came a day after 9-year-old Z'yon Person was killed in a drive-by shooting. Z'yon was riding in his aunt's car near the intersection of Duke and Leon streets when he was shot at about 9 p.m. Sunday.

"There were barely any words used because there was just sobbing," Councilman Mark-Anthony Middleton said of his discussion Monday night with the boy's aunt. "All she could get out was, 'Why did this have to happen? We were on our way to get ice cream.'"

The council held a moment of silence for Z'yon, who was Durham's 24th homicide victim so far this year.

Although they didn't take any action Monday, members agreed they must do more to keep the children in the community safe. One member called for a community safety task force, while another said more police are needed.

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"A few weeks ago, I had to endure the shock and dismay of gunfire in front of my very own house," Councilwoman DeDreana Freeman said. "I am not OK with it."

"It is a state of emergency in our city whether or not we declare it," Middleton said.

Sam Rose said the Sunday night shooting happened right in front of her home.

"We heard about 15 shots when it happened," Rose said. "They were right in a row, clearly traveling down the street. It was terrifying. It was probably over in about five seconds."

Police said they believe Z'yon and an 8-year-old who was shot in his arm were riding in a Ford Escape. The shooters, believed to be traveling in a burgundy Honda Accord with tinted windows, fired multiple shots into the car, police said.

"I didn’t sleep well, so I can only imagine what that’s doing to children," Rose said. "I hurt for them, for our future, for the fact that this is just becoming normal. I just don’t see any point in which children should be dying. It’s our job to protect them."

Investigators said they don't believe the shooting was a random act.

"The Durham Police Department extends condolences to the family of Z'yon Person,” Chief C.J. Davis said. “This is another act of senseless violence that simply must be stopped, and we are working aggressively to identify the people involved."

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Middleton agrees. He said he'd call on the chief and his City Council colleagues to again consider adding police officers and to purchase gunshot detection technology.

"I don’t care how tall our buildings get or how great our restaurants get if we can’t keep our children safe," Middleton said Monday afternoon. "I do not think that we have gone as hard as we can on this issue of gun violence in our city."

"Before we can look these folks in the eye and offer our condolences, we need to be able to say, as a government, that we have gone as hard on this issue as we have on protecting bikers with protected bike lanes," he said. "And we have not gone as far on this issue."

Anyone with information about either shooting is asked to call Durham police at 919-560-4440, extensions 29284 or 29341, or Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200.