Two-day gun violence spree in Durham ends with murder

Ed Crump Image
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Two-day gun violence spree in Durham ends with murder

DURHAM (WTVD) -- Durham police are investigating a fatal shooting that happened late Thursday night - the fifth shooting incident in the Bull City in the last two days.

Shortly before 10:30 p.m., authorities received a call about a shooting victim on Mutual Drive in South Durham.

When officers arrived, they found 20-year-old Javaun Devonte Graves. He was taken to Duke University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

According to investigators, Graves was injured in a shooting in the 700 block of Atlantic Street following an argument. Atlantic Street is close to Mutual Drive, just off of Fayetteville Street.

Police said the shooting did not appear to be random.

Authorities have not released any details about the gunman. Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator E. Ortiz at (919) 560-4440, ext. 29337 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200.

A couple hours before the Thursday night murder, police said a 23-year-old man was shot while sitting in his car in North Durham.

Three other shootings happened in an area just east of downtown on Tuesday and Wednesday. All three involved young men.

Officials said it appeared that none of the four victims had life-threatening injuries.

They also said Thursday's fatal shooting was likely not connected to the other incidents.

Neighbors near the murder scene in Mutual Heights say they are concerned about the murder in their relatively new development where things are normally quiet.

"I was really, really shocked. Really, really shocked," resident Roberta Jackson told ABC11. "And I wonder what the young people are trying to do basically when it comes to trying to help themselves do better. It appears that there's no fear here anymore."

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