Student Shot on Watts Street

Undergraduate is expected to make full recovery following incident early Sunday.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

DURHAM, N.C. -- A Duke student was shot and injured after he and a woman were stopped by a man while walking home early Sunday on Watts Street, police said.

The undergraduate student was in the hospital Sunday afternoon after being shot in the abdomen with the pellet gun, according to associate vice president for campus safety Aaron Graves, who said the student is expected to make a full recovery. The woman was not injured, Graves added.

The student and the woman were in the 500 block of Watts Street, about one block from East Campus, when a man approached them from behind shortly after midnight. Durham police said the man ordered the pair to put their hands on their heads and started to search them. Police said a struggle over a gun ensued and two shots were fired.

Editor's Note: Initial reports from police indicated that a pellet gun was used in the shooting, but based on additional investigation, Durham police said Aug. 11 they are not certain what gun was used but that "it was more than a pellet gun." At least two shots were fired but maybe more.

The suspect was described as black in his 40s, with bulging eyes, about 5 feet 11 inches tall with a stocky build. Authorities said the suspect may have been injured, because he was seen limping from the scene.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200 or Duke Police at 684-2444. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers do not have to identify themselves.

In a memo sent out Sunday afternoon, vice president for student affairs Larry Moneta alerted students to the incident and reminded them of safety precautions they can take.