Two 13-year-old boys shot near playground in Durham

Two 13-year-old boys were shot Thursday afternoon in Durham, police said.

Around 4:38 p.m. Thursday, Durham police officers were dispatched to a local hospital after two boys arrived with gunshot wounds. Police said the boys’ injuries are not life-threatening.

Durham police believe the shooting happened at the intersection of Ridgeway Avenue and Lakeland Street, near a park next to McDouglad Terrace.

People who live nearby told WRAL News their worries about this latest act of violence in an area that has struggled before.

One woman who lives in the area but wanted to remain anonymous said she hears gunshots in the evenings frequently, and children being injured make it more concerning.

“I feel like it’s particularly unfair to the residents who live in this part of town, because just being out, a kid in public playing in the playground in the afternoon on a Thursday, it doesn’t feel safe,” the woman said. “I feel sad for those families who have to consider that as part of their daily schedules.”

According to Durham police, seven people under the age of 18 have been shot so far this year:

The investigation is active and ongoing, and Durham police had no additional details to release.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200.