19-year-old already in jail for murder indicted in September double homicide on NCCU campus

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Wednesday, October 27, 2021
19-year-old indicted in September double homicide on NCCU campus
19-year-old indicted in September double homicide on NCCU campusDezmond Harper, accused of murder and already in Wake County Jail has now been indicted in a double shooting that killed two men on the NCCU campus.

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A man accused of murder and already in Wake County Jail has now been indicted in a double shooting that killed two men on the campus of North Carolina Central University, Durham Police said Tuesday.

Dezmond Armond Harper, 19 of Durham, is now accused in the shooting deaths of Shamori Brown, 21, and Tavis Rhodes, 20, which took place in a parking lot near the football stadium as North Carolina Central hosted Winston-Salem State on Sept. 18

Harper, of Durham, was one of three men arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 26-year-old man in Raleigh on Sept. 7

On the night of Sept. 18, Brown and Rhodes were shot in the surface parking lot next to the Latham Parking Deck on E. Lawson Street. They were rushed to the hospital but died from their injuries.

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Brown and Rhodes were remembered by the Hillside High School community as respectful, well-liked young men when they were students at the Durham high school

At the time of the shooting, O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium and the surrounding area were placed on lockdown. Fans were forced to remain in their seats while police investigated.

The deadly incident prompted North Carolina Central University to hold a news conference the Monday after the shooting to assure the campus community and the public that the NCCU campus "is and remains a safe and healthy environment."

Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye said at the briefing that NCCU was "pleading with the City of Durham, Durham County and North Carolina State officials" to commit to devoting more resources and attention to fighting crime in Durham.

Harper also faces robbery and other charges from Orange County.

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