Durham, N.C. – A quiet Wednesday night turned deadly on Durham’s east side when two shootings broke out within hours, leaving a 13‑year‑old boy injured and a 47‑year‑old man, Tavarus Joyner, dead. Police are asking for the public’s help as they continue to search for those responsible.
The first report came around 9:14 p.m. when a car drove slowly down Rosedale Avenue and shots rang out toward a young teen walking alone. Neighbors heard the bangs and rushed outside, finding the boy struck by gunfire. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors say he will recover, though the shock of the moment stayed with everyone who saw him.
Later that night, just before midnight, officers were again called, this time to the 200 block of East Umstead Street. There, they found Joyner on the sidewalk with fatal wounds. People who lived nearby remembered hearing sirens and said they couldn’t believe someone in their quiet block would be gunned down like this.
A hush fell over the scene as investigators worked into the early morning, collecting evidence and talking to anyone who might know what happened. No suspects have been publicly identified, and police say the investigation is ongoing.
Joyner’s friends described him as a family man and quiet neighbor. His sudden death left an emptiness in the hearts of people who saw him at local stores and on the streets he walked every day.
Police are urging residents with information to reach out, hoping that community cooperation will lead to arrests and answers. As Durham reels from these shootings, residents say they want peace more than ever, and they hope these acts of violence will not become the norm.
