Durham, N.C. – The streets of Durham were rocked late Wednesday night when two shootings unfolded just hours apart, ending with the death of a 47‑year‑old man and a 13‑year‑old boy rushed to the hospital with injuries. The violence has left neighbors shaken and police still searching for answers.
Just before 9:15 p.m., a 13‑year‑old boy was walking along Rosedale Avenue when a car sped past and gunfire erupted. The boy was struck and immediately taken to a local hospital. Officers say his wounds are not life‑threatening, but the fear in the air was real as families nearby tried to make sense of the sudden violence.
About two hours later, at nearly midnight, another call came in from the 200 block of East Umstead Street. Responding officers found Tavarus Joyner lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. Crowds gathered behind the yellow police tape as first responders worked frantically to save him, but Joyner later died at a hospital, leaving behind a community struggling with grief.
Residents in this part of Durham describe nights that seem to blur into fear. Friends and family of Joyner stood quietly near the scene early Thursday morning, holding onto memories and hoping someone will step forward with information that could lead police to a suspect.
Durham Police confirm no arrests have been made in either shooting. Investigators combed both scenes for evidence, marking shell casings and speaking with potential witnesses as the sun rose on a troubled neighborhood still trying to sleep after a violent night.
People who knew Joyner describe him as calm and kind, someone rooted in his neighborhood. His sudden death has hit close to home for many who passed him on these same streets just hours before the shooting.
Police urge anyone with information to come forward. The community, still reeling from the twin incidents, hopes that answers will come soon and that this kind of violence can be stopped.
