Durham averages one person shot per day in the last two months

Durham police data from the last nine weeks shows the city is averaging more than one person shot every day.

In the last week in Durham, a 3-year-old was left with life-threatening injuries outside a Walgreens on Fayetteville Street, and and a pregnant woman was shot at an apartment complex off Cheek Road.

A map from WRAL Data Trackers shows the location of 20 homicides so far in 2024.

Prior to April 13, Durham reported 152 reports of shots being fired, including 42 people shot.

In a nine-week span between April 13 and June 8, there were 151 more shooting incidents with 70 people shot. In those 61 days, Durham averaged 2.5 shootings per day, or more than one person shot per day.

Keith Patterson, a senior violence recovery specialist at Duke University Hospital, said the trauma is more than physical. The hospital's violence recovery program works to help victims gain stability after trauma and connect them with resources.

"They're going through frustration [and] fear," Patterson said. "You just want to make sure they feel safe, secure, and they still feel human."

Patterson told WRAL News he is in the field because he cares about people.

"I think we make an impact on the lives of patients when they come through, even if it's just letting a patient know that someone cares," Patterson said.

Among Durham's shooting victims are children and teenagers. In May, WRAL News reported data showing more than 10 people under 18 have been shot so far in 2024.

Mayor Leonardo Williams has addressed violence in Durham, especially concerning youth, including pursuing a greater police presence and enhanced public safety measures.

To prevent shootings and shooting deaths, Durham employed a one-year pilot program for ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology. The system used sensors, placed in a three-square-mile radius near downtown, to detect gunshots and notify police.

In May, the Durham City Council voted to not bring back ShotSpotter technology.