Durham Reporter

Durham Mayor Elaine O’Neal’s State of the City address April 18 seemed to be contradictory; she began by stating that the city is doing well and then enumerating its many problems, like rising violence.

"Gun violence is taking the lives of far too many of our residents and our young black men,” O’Neal said, as reported by ABC 11 News. “We are a city in pain, and we are struggling to make sense of the violence we continue to witness.” 

O'Neal detailed a surge in violence, citing 182 shootings so far this year. Deadly shootings in the city in 2022 alone have almost reached the combined total of the past two years.

The city is coming off a record number of homicides in 2021, the Herald-Sun reported, and is on a pace to surpass that number this year with 17 murders, as of April 19. This month alone, six people were shot to death in the city over an eight-day period. 

"Living in fear is not a Bull City value,” O’Neal said in her speech. “There is no one solution. But there is one path to prevention, which means we work together.”

O'Neal, who was elected last fall, campaigned on the platform of reducing crime. In the wake of this month's fatal shooting spree, Durham police are forming a unit that will focus on gun crimes. O'Neal also talked about outreach programs and after-school activities for youth in the city, according to the Herald-Sun.

The mayor also said that she and Durham County Commission Chair Brenda Howerton have reconvened the Durham Crime Cabinet. The Cabinet is tasked with coming up with a comprehensive strategy to respond to crime and violence.

Meanwhile, the city is struggling to keep its police force fully staffed.

O'Neal discussed the need to beef up human services support at the city and county level and the ongoing struggle to recruit and retain more Durham police officers.