Durham residents react to this week's spike in gun violence

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- It's been a violent week in the Bull City after at least eight people were shot in just three days, with the latest happening just after midnight on Friday when Durham Police found a man injured on Barbee Road and a woman injured on Woodcroft Parkway.

"My concerns as a local business owner and resident of Durham is the prevalence of gun violence," Donovan Watson said. "And how we can curb that to protect our youth and our fellow businesses."

As of May 4, at least 66 people were shot this year, which surpasses the number of people who were shot by the same time last year, according to Durham Police.

In another shooting, a woman was shot shortly after 5:30 p.m. Thursday near East Lawson Street and Wabash Street. Durham Mayor Leo Williams said 100 shots were fired in that incident.

Earlier the same day, a shooting caused a scare at the Durham bus station on West Pettigrew Street in downtown Durham.

On Wednesday, a shooting left a man dead and three others injured. Two men have been arrested and face murder and other charges.

The string of violence hits close to home for former North Carolina Central University football player Devin Smith, who said he lost at least 10 friends to gun violence in the past two years.

"That's one of the things I dealt with," Smith said. "A lot of gun violence that was going around in the city."

The former Eagles wide receiver is using sports as a solution to gun violence in a series of football camps this summer.

"I want to be able to be a part of somebody's village and bring them up to where I'm at because somebody did it for me," Smith said.

Another organization, the 5K Foundation, said it quadrupled in size since it launched last year, with 350 youngsters participating in sports.

'Play Games, Not Guns.' Organization continues initiative to keep kids away from crime in Durham

The 5K Foundation has a golf tournament on Aug. 22 to raise proceeds for continued programming to combat gun violence among youth in Durham and surrounding areas, according to organizer Tangela Kenan.

"I don't have to be out in the streets or out doing something negative," Smith said. "I can do something positive. I can come out, put some cleats on, run around and just have fun. Just do something that I know that's safe doing."