Durham Police Provide Update on Officer-Involved Shooting Involving 16-Year-Old Suspect

DURHAM, NC – The Durham Police Department has released additional details regarding the officer-involved shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in the 4700 block of Hope Valley Road.

The suspect involved in the incident is a 16-year-old male, Joshua Garcia, who was shot twice during a brief foot chase. Preliminary findings indicate the suspect dropped the handgun he was carrying but continued to flee on foot before being apprehended. The handgun was recovered at the scene.

The suspect faces multiple charges via juvenile petition, including:

• Assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer
• Possession of a handgun by a minor
• Resist, delay, or obstruct a public officer

The officer involved in the incident has been identified as Corporal R. McQueen, a veteran of the Durham Police Department since 2006 and currently assigned to the Uniform Patrol Bureau. Corporal McQueen was wearing a body-worn camera that was activated during the chase and shooting.

Timeline of Events:

• 12:08 a.m., November 17, 2024: Officers responded to reports of a “car club” racing in the Woodcroft Shopping Center.
• Upon arrival, objects were thrown at Corporal McQueen and his vehicle.
• A foot pursuit ensued after the officer confronted the suspect, who brandished a handgun and refused repeated commands to drop the weapon.
• The officer discharged his firearm, striking the suspect. Despite his injuries, the suspect fled and entered a vehicle occupied by others.
• A second officer stopped the vehicle and rendered aid to the suspect, who was transported to a local hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

No officers were injured during the incident. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Durham Police Department’s Professional Standards Division are conducting investigations, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings. Corporal McQueen has been placed on administrative duty.

This remains an active investigation, and additional details are expected to be released as they become available.