Durham Streets Update!

DURHAM -- Durham police is investigating its third homicide since the start of the new year. This news has the community raising their voice to put an end to violent crime.“That's my blood, that's my baby, that was my child,” said Angel Harris.

A family is mourning after a drive-by shooting in Durham Sunday night left two people dead on Dawkins Street.

“I was upstairs and next thing you know by the time I came down here a whole bunch of shooting came through the door,” said John Lewis, a friend to the victims.

Police were called to the scene just after 9 p.m., but by the time they arrived on scene, it was too late. Timothy McGhee was found dead inside, and Paul Noel Jr. died after he was taken to a nearby hospital.

Durham police say this incident marks the second and third homicide since the start of the new year. It's a statistic that has the community raising their voice to put an end to the violence.

“The crime needs to stop. You all need to come together. There's a crisis out here right now,” Harris said.

However, as loved ones are left cleaning a scene they hope to forget, a neighborhood remains in shock and a family is left looking for answers.

“I know there's someone out here that knows some information, so if you do please let them know. Please let the Crime Stoppers know,” said Harris.

Durham police have not named any suspects in the case. They're asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at (919) 683-1200.

A group of us from Durham Ministers In Prayer went out to this crime scene this past Tuesday to pray. It is very sad to see a neighborhood so messed up due to most likely gang and drug activity.

This was the house next door to where the double murder occurred. It is full of bullet holes. I had stopped down the street after all the other ministers had left to talk to a senior citizen. He spoke of the neighborhood being out of control and how the gangs had taken over.

This is the front door of where the murders occurred. As you can see all the bullet holes in the door and in the door casing. What a way to live??? After I had finished talking with the senior I had walked back to my van and came across a couple family members. Another family member came out and I spoke with them. I ministered to them about the importance of having the Lord in their lives and truly living for Him. I gave this some food then prayed with them. I will be returning to walk this neighborhood at different times of the day and night in attempt to reach some of those that are causing the problems.

Last night I received a call from a homicide detective with the Durham Police Department. She asked me if I knew anything about pennies with crosses in them being in front of the crime scene. I said that I did and that I was the one that had tossed a bunch of them in front of the house. She said that the detectives have been discovering them at crime scenes and they were not sure if it was gang related or church related. She then asked me what the reason for putting them there was and I told her that it was to hopefully make people think. It is always an open door for me to run across people in the different neighborhoods and for them to find out that it was me that put them there. I run across people with them on chains around their necks, on their shoe laces and in their wallets. The pennies are an excellent witnessing tool!I started a new type of ministry today to the skateboarders. Chris Hull who is a good brother in the Lord has had it on his heart to minister to these youth. We are going to do an outreach to them soon. Some of them were using some pretty foul language prior to me walking up to them with some snacks and I was able to minister to them. I will continue to stop by that location and build relationships.What a blessing it was to have Katherine Evans make these homemade cookies for me to pass out to people on the streets. Just like the smiles on the cookies they bring smiles to the people's faces! This couple is in a mess! Someone stopped and gave them my name to get some help. April is pregnant and is sick with a bad head cold. Blake and her were panhandling for money to be able to get a room. They called and asked if I could give them money for a room and I told them that I could not but I would help them with food. Someone else stopped and gave them money for the room just before I arrived. I talked to them about their situation and the importance of having a true relationship with the Lord. I believe they are going from church to church right now just to see what kind of help they can get. I told them that they need to help themselves by getting jobs so that they can have some self worth. There are so many in the Guess Road area living the same way as this couple. Tomorrow they will begin another day of hoping that they will have a roof over their heads tomorrow night. It comes to a time when people like this need to make a decision to help themselves and quit living this type of life. They are both very nice but what they need to do is turn their lives over to Jesus and quit living in sin then He will direct their steps! Easy to tell them but so hard it seems for them to take hold of it. I will continue to help them as long as they are taking steps to help themselves.