Durham police are investigating the fatal shooting of a student at NC Central University last week by a security guard in a Off-campus apartment complex.
On Monday, the police identified the student as DeAndre Marquise Ballard, 23.
Agents responded to a call about a bullet wound at 10:15 p.m. M. September 18 in the 1400 block of East Cornwallis Road. They found Ballard, who was taken to a local hospital where he died.
"The case is still under investigation," police spokeswoman Kammie Michael said Monday. "No charges have been filed at this time."
In an interview, Kevin Ladd, vice president of NC Detective Agency, said an employee who worked as a guard at the Campus Crossings apartments shot Ballard in self-defense. defense.
"Fully, 100 percent support their actions because this was in self-defense," Ladd said. "In our eyes, this is a tragic accident, it should never have come to this, but our officer was afraid for his life."
WRAL reported for the first time that Ballard was shot by the security guard.
The shooting occurred in a public area in the apartment complex and there is a witness, Ladd said. A statement from an NCCU official indicates that the shooting occurred near the apartment outside the Ballard campus.
The employee has worked for the agency for 15 years and is certified by the North Carolina Protective Safety Board, Ladd said.
The NC Detective Agency has been in business since 1996.
"We've never had anything like that," Ladd said. "We feel terrible about it, our officer feels terrible."
A native of New Bern, North Carolina, Ballard was preparing to graduate in May 2019 with a bachelor of science degree in physical education, said the chancellor of NCCU Johnson O. Akinleye on the university's website. He was a member of the Bon Vivant Fashion Society of NCCU and was Mr. Bon Vivant Fashion Society last year.
"Naturally, this sudden loss greatly affects his family, as well as his many friends, roommates and the entire NCCU community," said the chancellor. "I ask that we stand in solidarity in this difficult moment and collectively hold DeAndre Ballard and her loved ones in our thoughts and prayers."
As of September 15, there had been 21 homicides in Durham, according to the Police Department website, up to 15 for the same time in 2017, but below 28 for the same time in 2016.
In total, since September 15 it was reported that violent crime in Durham fell 16.9 percent this year.
Anyone with information that calls Researcher E. Ortiz at (919) 560-4440, ext. 29337 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information that leads to arrests in cases of felonies and callers never have to identify themselves.
Mark Schultz: 919-829-8950; @HeraldSunEditor
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