Home Scandal and Gossip 74 year old Durham woman killed by 4th of July celebratory gunfire

74 year old Durham woman killed by 4th of July celebratory gunfire

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Paulette Thorpe Durham
Pictured, Paulette Thorpe Durham, North Carolina, 74 year old woman killed by 4th of July celebratory gunfire.
Paulette Thorpe Durham
Pictured, Paulette Thorpe Durham, North Carolina, 74 year old woman killed by 4th of July celebratory gunfire. Image via social media.

Paulette Thorpe Durham, North Carolna, 74 year old woman killed by 4th of July celebratory gunfire. No arrests or suspects. 

A 74-year-old Durham, North Carolina woman has died after being shot by 4th of July ‘celebratory gunfire.’

Durham police said they responded to a gunshot wound at the 500 block of Burlington Avenue at about 11p.m on Saturday night. They found Paulette Thorpe, 74, had been shot. She died in the hospital, police said according to 

A reckless death

A preliminary investigation said the shooting was the result of celebratory gunfire, police said.

‘Last night as people throughout Durham peacefully celebrated the July 4th holiday with their friends and family, a small few chose to put our community at risk by carelessly firing guns into the air,’ Durham Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said in a statement. ‘This reckless behavior led to the tragic death of Ms. Paulette Thorpe. Ms. Thorpe’s death reminds us that we as a community must work together to prevent these senseless acts, so that no family suffers such a tragedy ever again.’

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call an investigator at 919-560-4440 ext. 29529 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200.

Paulette Thorpe Durham
Pictured, Paulette Thorpe Durham, North Carolina woman.

Durham police had issued warning against celebratory gunfire hours before tragedy

People in the area who spoke to WRAL News, July 4 said gunfire could be heard echoing across the city.Someone who lived on the street said she and her daughter were too afraid to go outside because of all the shooting they could hear.

Earlier Saturday, Durham police made a specific Facebook post warning against ‘celebratory gunfire,’ noting that it’s a misdemeanor with fines up to $500.

‘Bullets fired in the air can travel a long distance,’ Durham police said. ‘And, what goes up, more often than not, must come down and sometimes, has fatal consequences for people and pets.’

The investigation is ongoing. No suspects or arrests have been made.

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