DURHAM (WTVD) -- An 11-year-old boy was shot during a drive-by shooting in Durham Friday night.
It happened just before 9 p.m. in the 300 block of North Hyde Park Avenue.
Police said the boy was found in a front yard of a home with a gunshot wound to his thigh.
Eyewitnesses told officers that he was walking with friends when a truck drove by and fired five to six shots.
The boy was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Sister Brenda Taylor and Sister Dianne Oliver are stunned by the news that someone opened fire on a child.
"While we were in church, they were shooting him! It's sad," said Taylor.
Their church is about half a block away from the front yard where the young victim fell after he was shot in the leg.
"It's some mean, cruel people out there who just don't care about themselves, or nobody else! And it's a sad thing to say, but that's what happens," said Oliver. "I continue to plead the blood of Jesus over mine! That's what we gotta do."
The wounded boy's stepfather told us his stepson is now at home and resting.
Police Chief Jose Lopez was shocked that another drive-by shooting happened in Durham. He said these acts of violence are becoming too frequent.
"I think it's individuals who are engaged in this activity. We need to identify these individuals and address them," Chief Lopez said.
Several people in the area refused to talk about the incident. Chief Lopez attributed this to the fear of more drive-by shootings if they speak up.
"If they're afraid, they can call us anonymously through CrimeStoppers. There are many ways that it can be done, where their identities won't even be known to us," Chief Lopez explained.
Until that happens, he added, "A lot of innocent individuals, such as this 11-year-old, are gonna wind up getting hurt."
At last report, the search for suspects continued.