14-year-old face charges after man shot multiple times while breaking up fight dies in Durham
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A man trying to break up a fight an apartment complex in Durham is dead and a teenager is facing charges in his death.
It happened around 2:15 p.m. on Monday near the Hoover Road Apartments on South Hoover Road near Angier Avenue.
Officers said two teens, a boy and a girl, were arguing when the man tried to intervene and was shot multiple times. The shooting suspect left the scene.
The man was rushed to a hospital after he was shot, but died from his injuries, Durham police said.
Tuesday police announced the arrest of a 14-year-old in connection with the death of 34-year-old Gary Tharrington Jr. Durham police said information from the community led them to the suspect.
This was the second shooting in that area on Monday.
In the earlier shooting, officers responded around 12:50 a.m. to the same block of Hoover and found a girl who had been shot.
She was taken to a hospital and listed in serious but stable condition.
Some people living in the area said they heard gunfire in both instances.
"We heard them both," said Julie Rapplyea. "I didn't witness anything. It's just really unfortunate that all the kids that are out here at that time of night and out here when it happened."
Both shootings remain under active investigation. Investigators remained at the scene into the evening as neighbors remained concerned.
It's the safety of my kids, the other kids. People shouldn't have to live like this," Rapplyea said. "I don't know what the community is doing to help facilitate coming in. I feel like churches are failing communities like this because we have enough churches that can be in here regularly.
But unfortunately, a lot of people don't want change."
Durham PD brought out the Mobile Command Center as the events shifted to a homicide investigation.
"Do the right thing," Rappleyea said. "The lord forgives, and so will people. We've got to heal each other by coming together and owning up to our mistakes."
Investigators said they were still working to determine what led up to both shootings. It remains unclear whether the shootings were connected.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Inv. J. Turner at (919) 560-4440 ext. x29532 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200 or online. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards of up to $2,000 for information leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers never have to identify themselves.
ABC11 is tracking crime and safety across Durham and in your neighborhood.
