Durham Daily Local Headlines: Highway 98 Shooting Investigation, Downtown Gas Leak, Vigil, and Participatory Budgeting Winners

Here are Durham’s top local headlines from the past few days, sorted by what’s most urgent right now.

2 hospitalized after gunshot wounds; middle school briefly locked down

Two people were taken to the hospital Tuesday after a car pulled into the driveway of a Durham County Sheriff’s Office building seeking help for gunshot wounds. Authorities said the investigation centered near Wake Forest Highway (NC 98) at Olive Branch Road, with a stretch of the road closed during the response.

Durham Public Schools said John W. Neal Middle School went on a short lockdown because of law enforcement activity in the area, and that nothing happened inside the building. The lockdown was lifted within minutes.

Overnight downtown crash leads to gas leak and road closures

Early Sunday, a van struck a gas meter on East Main Street, prompting a gas leak response and temporary street closures downtown. Two people were taken to the hospital, and some nearby customers experienced a short power outage before roads reopened later in the morning.

Community vigil highlights grief, prevention, and accountability

On Saturday, residents gathered for a vigil to remember people killed by gun violence and to press for action aimed at reducing youth-involved shootings. Speakers emphasized the lasting toll on families and the urgency of prevention efforts as the city wrestles with a recent spike in violence.

Participatory budgeting winners: skate park rebuild tops the list

Durham’s latest participatory budgeting results direct $2.7 million to six community-picked projects. The largest award funds a rebuild of the downtown skate park, with additional projects including a playground, a downtown public restroom, neighborhood murals, and other safety and access improvements. City staff will move the projects into planning and implementation, with a typical goal of finishing within about two years.

Sources

https://www.wral.com/news/local/durham-police-sheriff-investigate-car-wake-forest-highway-feb-2026/
https://www.wral.com/news/local/durham-east-main-gas-leak-sunday-morning-road-closures-february-2026/
https://www.wral.com/news/local/durham-vigil-gun-violence-youth-shootings-feb-2026/
https://indyweek.com/news/durham-skate-park-renovations-and-other-participatory-budgeting-winners/