'You took everything': Mother of slain Durham man's child distraught after fatal shooting

On Monday, a memorial with balloons and a teddy bear was visible on the side of the road where Cates was found dead. The body was found along an off-ramp of Interstate 85 at the Hillandale Road exit.

Shortly after the shooting, two sources told WRAL that Cates was an employee of Bull City United. The group receives funding from the city and county to stop violence.

So far, Durham County officials have not confirmed that to WRAL. Durham Police are saying this was not a random act.

The mother of Cates' child said his young son, an 18-month-old, was the center of his world.

The mother said being a father brought him joy.

"That's his pride and joy," said the mother, who asked WRAL not to use her name. "That's who he was on the way to when this happened."

Cates had previously spent time in prison for a 2007 murder in Orange County, but the mother said Cates had revamped his life and was working to promote peace.

"You're killing somebody for nothing," said the mother. "The only thing that you accomplished was to have another little Black boy out here growing up without his daddy. You broke another home."

A woman discovered the bullet-ridden car and called 911. The woman asked to not be identified for safety reasons.

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"There was a car stopped in the middle of the right-hand turn lane," she said.

"And I sat behind the car for a minute or two, just waited, figured they were looking at their phone. finally decided I would go around. I wanted to see who was sitting in that car, and what I actually saw was bullet holes, all in the windows."

WRAL has asked police why they are saying the shooting was targeted. They've also been questioned about where they think the shooting occurred and If it happened at another location.

At last check of Durham police department data, there have been just over 30 fatal shootings in the city so far this year.

"You took everything," said the mother. "That man was my world. And now I have to raise my son without him."

There is no word on arrests for this shooting.