“I want to scream” the police chief in Durham talks about the violence of youth – Wral News

Days after a 2-year-old boy was shot dead, Durham Patrice Andrew’s police chief has questions.

“This is an incredible moment,” Andrews said. “I am entering all this thought process of who would do this, why someone can do this, how they could do this, who can be so reckless, so careless.”

This is not the first time she wonders why; 27 people under the age of 18 were shot dead in 2024.

Three were shot dead in 2025

With these questions comes anger.

“I want to scream,” Andrews said. “I do not understand as a mother how in our world we have children today who commit the crimes they commit.”

Not only young people are victims of crime; More young people at Durham are accused of serious crimes. On Wednesday, police applied for minors at the age of 14 for a first-degree murder after the death of 15-year-old Aj Clendenning.

This 14-year-old faces additional charges after police claim to have shot a state soldier.

In past interviews with Wral, Andrews quoted the saying “Needed a Village” to raise a child.

She says she believes that one of the reasons the Durham community is to see a frequent violent crime in the hands of young people is a lost connection with humanity.

“This only happens when they do not have a solid foundation, when they do not have a solid upbringing, when they have no mentors in their lives, when they just offer them absolutely nothing,” Andrews said. “There is this sense of hopelessness when they are not or are unable to understand the value of human life.”

Age aside, Andrews believe that the community must face facts about who committing violent crimes.

“I want to see them recognized as violent people who are, regardless of their age,” Andrews said. “There are 14, 15 and 16-year-olds who are engaged in a life of violence and no matter how much you try to mentor them or how much you try to offer them a deviation, they decide not to accept this.”

Wral News found that the murder of shooting children doubled from 2018 to 2022.

“I believe this is something that has long been coming. Our minor justice system is drained. There is a source of ability to find clinicians who are ready and can do the work in the courts and with the advocacy component of the judicial structure, “Andrews said. “We need much more help than what is available there.”

The question for many is how to help.

Andrews says this is a step at a time.

“We can’t resolve it by wanting to save a whole group of children,” she said. “You can make a huge impact by simply saving one. If you can keep one if you can bring one forward if you can mentor a child. Do this from where you are, it speaks a lot.”