17-year-old identified as person shot, found dead off Carter Avenue in Durham

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Durham police officers said the person killed in a homicide on Thursday was a 17-year-old.

Shortly before 12:30 p.m., officers were told that there was possibly a dead person off the road in the 700 block of Carter Avenue. When officers arrived, they found an unresponsive male teen. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene.

Police said the investigation showed the 17-year-old had an apparent gunshot wound. The case is now being investigated as a homicide.

Carter Avenue between Rowena Avenue and Spring Street was closed for several hours Thursday afternoon while police investigated. Authorities remained on the scene into the evening.

"I was surprised and shocked to see a lot of heavy police here because usually nothing ever really happened," said Zuri Muhammad, who has lived in the community for nearly two decades.

"It's really heart wrenching, especially since it happened so close to where I live. And also, there was another shooting that happened near Hillside a couple of weeks ago. I go to my internship that way. So was shocking to see that. Yes, you hear about it, but you never think that it would happen to you, or close to you until it happens," he said.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Investigator J. Berkstresser at (919) 560-4440 extension 29538 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.

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