Eric McKinney was a man who understood the value of hard work and the power of community. A 51-year-old male entrepreneur, he was the owner and sole operator of the French Broad Trout Company, an aquaculture farm he built with years of intensive labor near Balsam Grove, North Carolina. Eric was dedicated to his business, raising thousands of rainbow trout in concrete tanks.
He was also a committed environmental steward, taking care to be responsible with the water rights he was blessed to have and ensuring his farm's operations did not pollute local streams. His work was his life, providing for his family and representing his future.
This future was nearly washed away when tropical storms ravaged his farm, destroying a critical retaining pond. Eric was disheartened, wondering what would become of his business. In a moment of crisis, his friends and the Balsam Grove community rallied around him. A group of local men—Mark King, Chris Holden, Larry Owen, and Thomas Partin—brought their own heavy equipment and spent 15 to 17 hours over two weekends rebuilding the pond. Their selfless effort saved his business. Eric was profoundly grateful, telling a local newspaper, “Balsam Grove lifted me up in a way that should be celebrated. This community rallied behind me because they accepted me as an outsider.” He added, “None of it would have been possible without these guys. They were doing what they have always done: Lift each other up. I’m proud to call these people friends.”
On the evening of Friday, September 25, 2026, Eric was in downtown Durham, North Carolina, far from his mountain trout farm. At some point that night, gunfire erupted in the area of Rigsbee Avenue, near the historic Durham Athletic Park, a landmark once home to the Durham Bulls minor league baseball team. The neighborhood, a mix of residential and commercial spaces, was disturbed by the sudden violence.
Officers from the Durham Police Department were dispatched to the scene following reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they discovered Eric McKinney suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite any medical intervention, his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The life of a man who had so recently been celebrating the generosity of his friends was tragically cut short.
The Durham Police Department’s Homicide Unit immediately launched an investigation into Eric’s death. Detectives secured the crime scene on Rigsbee Avenue, searching for shell casings and any other physical evidence that could provide clues about the shooter. Investigators began the process of interviewing potential witnesses and canvassing the downtown area for surveillance cameras that might have captured the incident or the moments leading up to it. No information was immediately released by authorities regarding a possible motive for the shooting or whether Eric was the intended target.
In the days following the homicide, the investigation continued as detectives worked to piece together the events of that Friday night. The case remained under active investigation, but authorities did not publicly identify any suspects or persons of interest. The community that had so recently come together to help Eric rebuild his livelihood was left stunned and searching for answers. His death marked another life lost to gun violence in Durham, a tragedy that resonated with both the mountain community he called home and the city where his life ended.
As of late September 2026, no arrests had been made in the killing of Eric McKinney. The case remains unsolved, leaving his family and the friends who had stood by him in his time of need to grapple with his sudden and violent loss. The Durham Police Department continues to urge anyone with information about the shooting to come forward and assist in bringing those responsible to justice.
