DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – On Halloween night, 28-year-old William Smith was shot and killed at the Morreene Road apartments in Durham.
Back in the middle of May, another shooting at the complex claimed the life of a 30-year-old woman.
CBS 17 spoke with one woman who lives there, who didn’t want to be shown on camera for safety reasons.
“Ever since that happened, I really don’t want to live out here anymore,” she said. “I feel very unsafe out here.”
Those two shootings rocked the community just five months apart from each other.
CBS 17 also spoke with over a dozen people who live at the apartment complex, and everyone declined an interview due to their fear of retaliation.
The woman we spoke with off-camera has lived at the complex since 2011 and said more needs to be done to improve security.
“That could’ve been me and I feel very scared because I could’ve been in a situation like that,” she said.
The apartments are overseen by the Durham Housing Authority, which offers affordable housing. Though no one was available for an interview, CBS 17 asked the DHA about what’s being done to keep those who live at this complex safe.
A spokesperson statement reads in part: “DHA will continue its ongoing partnership with DPD to assist in their vital role in providing public safety. Our efforts have included meetings with the resident organizations to share safety tips, the installation of cameras in some communities and participation in violence reduction efforts…”
At this time, there is no suspect in custody for Tuesday night’s shooting.
Morreene Road is located just down the road from Duke University. It was purchased from the school in 1968 to add more apartments to the DHA.
