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Police: Durham Father Shot Breaking Into Child's Mother's Apartment, Gunfire Ruled Self-Defense
RePolice: Durham Father Shot Breaking Into Child's Mother's Apartment, Gunfire Ruled Self-Defense
A man was shot and injured Saturday morning while forcing his way into the Magnolia Pointe apartment of his child's mother in northeast Durham, authorities said. Investigators determined the shooting was self-defense and no charges are expected.
A man was shot and wounded Saturday morning while trying to break into the Durham apartment of his child's mother, and police have ruled the gunfire a case of self-defense.
The shooting was reported just before 9:45 a.m. at the Magnolia Pointe apartments in the 4800 block of Danube Lane, just off Hebron Road in northeast Durham, according to police. Officers arriving at the complex found the man suffering from a gunshot wound.
Investigators said the man, identified as the father of the woman's child, was attempting to force his way into the residence when he was shot. The woman was inside the apartment at the time. Police have not said who fired the weapon, but the department's determination that the shooting was self-defense indicates the person who pulled the trigger was legally justified under North Carolina law.
The injured man was taken to a local hospital for treatment. His condition was not immediately released, and police did not provide an update on whether his injuries were life-threatening.
No charges are expected in connection with the shooting, according to the police assessment. The case remains under review, but authorities have characterized the incident as a self-defense shooting rather than a criminal assault.
The Magnolia Pointe complex sits in a residential area of northeast Durham near Hebron Road, a corridor that has seen a mix of apartment communities and single-family homes in recent years. The Saturday morning incident drew a response from Durham police and emergency medical personnel, who secured the scene while the investigation began.
North Carolina law permits the use of deadly force in self-defense when a person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily harm, or to stop a forcible entry into a home. The Durham Police Department's ruling that the shooting was justified suggests investigators concluded the shooter acted within those legal boundaries.
Police have not released the names of the people involved. The child's mother has not been publicly identified, and it was not clear whether the child was present in the apartment at the time of the break-in.
The shooting remains under investigation by Durham police, though the self-defense determination means it is unlikely to result in criminal charges. Authorities have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the department.
The incident is one of several shootings reported at Durham apartment complexes in recent days. A separate shooting was reported Sunday morning at a complex on Snowcrest Trail, according to local reports, though police have not said whether the two cases are connected.
Durham police have not scheduled a news conference on the Magnolia Pointe shooting. Additional details, including the injured man's condition and the exact circumstances inside the apartment, were not immediately available.
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