Durham police investigate separate weekend shootings that left two men dead

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Investigators with the Durham Police Department started their Monday investigating two separate shootings that left two men dead and three others hurt.

The first shooting happened about 1:25 a.m. Saturday at the Cadence at RTP apartment complex in the 1400 block of East Cornwallis Road. When officers arrived, they found both 25-year-old Elijah Hosea Everett and 25-year-old Aaron Michael Bailey shot to death.

They also came in contact with two other men with life-threatening and non-life-threatening injuries, respectively. Both men were taken to the hospital.

Durham Police said the shooting was not random.

In April 2020, North Carolina Central University University head football coach Trei Oliver was deeply moved when he announced that one of his players, Trevor VanDyke, was gunned down at the same apartment complex when it was under the name Campus Crossings.

September 2018, was another tragic month for the apartment complex when NCCU student De'Andre Ballard was shot and killed by a security guard on the grounds there.

Nearly 36 hours later after the most recent shooting, a man was shot just yards away from Durham Police headquarters near the intersection of East Main Street and Angier Avenue.

The man suffered life-threatening injuries.

"I'm literally 30-40 steps away from where the shooting happened," said Shamar Usher, who lives nearby. "And that's where the precinct is at," he said as he referenced DPD headquarters directly across the street.

"I could see if it's deep in the hood," Usher added, "but across the street from the police precinct, I should feel safe to walk this strip...and I don't."

One neighbor said he and his mother heard the gunshots ring out and the mom saw a van speed down the street.

"I heard a few shots. But we don't know if they were shooting back and forth," said Jay Ryals. "But I hope they're OK because I do know the person. I've known them since I was young."

Anyone with information on these crimes is asked to call Durham Police at (919) 560-4440 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases and callers never have to identify themselves.