Most victims are young Black men: New data shapes Durham's violence reduction plan

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The room fell quiet before the first speaker even reached the microphone. People had come carrying grief, frustration, and a kind of exhaustion that sits heavy on a community.

Durham's first-ever Gun Violence Reduction Summit wasn't just a meeting. It felt like a reckoning.

Cornwallis Road resident Tanya Kelley stood up, her voice steady but full of hurt. She talked about the children in her neighborhood growing up learning to navigate poverty, trauma, and the constant threat of gunfire.

"We got another group that's growing up that ain't afraid to bust your head," she said. "If we don't stop it now, we gone have some savages we can't control."

People shifted in their seats. Some nodded.

Kelley went on to describe scenes no child should ever witness, like bodies left outside after shootings, kids watching from porches and windows.

"It take y'all so long to pick up the dead bodies," she said. "The children have watched it for so long outside. There has to be some sort of decency. Cover that up."

Her words hung in the air long after she sat down.

Leaders Listen and Confront the Numbers

City and county leaders partnered with the University of Maryland's Violence Reduction Center to analyze Durham's data and help shape a plan. Mayor Leo Williams told the crowd that the work happening inside these rooms will directly influence policy.

"Policy is going to be shaped around the work that is put together from this working group," he said.

The data is sobering

• Durham saw 17 homicides last year.
• By the end of May this year, the city had already reached 16.
• Most victims and suspects are Black men ages 18-34.
• The leading causes: personal conflicts, sudden disputes, drug-related disputes.

Mayor Pro Tem Javiera Caballero said the summit finally brought all the decision makers together.

"This was a really good way of bringing everyone who makes those decisions in the room together so we are all working across boards. It's going to be hard but worth it."

A Missing Voice

But not everyone felt represented.

Resident Dosali Reed Bandeli said the summit left out the people who live closest to the problem and the solution.

"The young people need to be here to express themselves... what their experiences have been and what they think the solution should be."

She wasn't alone. Several attendees murmured in agreement. The absence of youth felt like a gap in the conversation.

What the Community Has Been Saying for Months

Over the past six months, Durham has held more than 15 listening sessions. Residents asked for the same things again and again:

• Early intervention
• Jobs and economic opportunity
• Investment in the neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence

Durham Community Safety Director Ryan Smith said the city is aiming for real, measurable change.

"The goal is to see results by the end of next year a measurable reduction in homicides."

What Comes Next

The final two days of the summit will happen behind closed doors. Leaders say that within 60 days, residents will see a full set of violence reduction strategies, which would be a roadmap shaped by data, community voices, and the urgency of a city that cannot afford to lose more lives.