On April 28, 2024, at approximately 2:02 a.m., Durham police responded to reports of a gunshot wound in a parking lot near the intersection of West Morgan Street and Watts Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered 19-year-old Ashir Harrington suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency Medical Services transported him to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
In the months following the incident, investigators identified 33-year-old Mychal Quinton Mercer as a suspect in Harrington's death. Mercer faced charges including first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, discharging a weapon into occupied property, and injury to personal property. Authorities issued warrants for his arrest and sought the public's assistance in locating him.
On August 16, 2024, Mercer surrendered to Durham police. He was subsequently booked into the Durham County Jail without bond. In addition to the charges related to Harrington's death, Mercer faced an outstanding warrant for embezzlement.
Court records revealed that shots were fired into a taco truck on West Main Street, a 2020 Jaguar, and a 2018 Dodge Charger during the incident. However, police indicated that Harrington was not in any of the vehicles, and it remained unclear whether he was the intended target.
As of August 10, 2024, Durham had experienced 145 shootings that year, resulting in 21 fatalities. Notably, 20 of the shooting victims were between the ages of 18 and 20, underscoring a concerning trend of violence affecting young adults in the community.
