Shooting of 2 NCCU students near campus renews debate over Durham's shuttered ShotSpotter program
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- As North Carolina Central University students cope with the aftermath of a shooting near campus, some longtime Durham residents are once again questioning whether the city's decision to end its ShotSpotter gunshot detection program has affected public safety.
The drive-by shooting happened just before 11 p.m. Sunday near Concord and Dupree streets, according to police. A man and a woman, both NCCU students, were shot.
For NCCU student Rashawn Carter, the gunfire came without warning.
"It was spurts of gunshots. Went on for like five to 10 seconds before it stopped," Carter said.
Carter said he was at his apartment with friends when the shots rang out.
"I hadn't heard that kind of activity like that around here," he said.
The shooting has left many students concerned about safety, with some now taking additional caution when traveling around campus.
"I just have my phone out and have the number already on my phone while I'm walking," one student said. "Make sure that there's nobody surrounding me. If I hear any shouting, I'm going to turn the other way."
Longtime Durham resident Lionel Parker said the violence reflects broader challenges facing the community.
"There's a war going on out here, and Sunday night proves it," Parker said.
Parker said he has seen an increase in shootings through the years and said he believes economic pressures are contributing to crime.
"There's a lot of people on edge. The economy is killing them," he said. "What happens is those people who are out here trying to make their living selling drugs or whatever, they're going to do it."
Parker also said he believed ShotSpotter, the gunshot detection technology once used by Durham police, was a valuable tool that helped officers quickly locate where shots were fired. The City of Durham ended the program more than two years ago.
Meanwhile, university leaders are urging students to remain vigilant and travel in groups whenever possible. NCCU Police Chief Robert Gaddy has also increased patrols across campus in response to the shooting.
"It gives me a sense of security just knowing it is police patrolling campus, even the back roads," another student said. "They're doing their job making sure everything is safe."
Police have not released the conditions of the two students, but Gaddy said Monday that both students were treated at a hospital and released to their families.
No arrests have been announced. The shooting remains under investigation.
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