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A reporter and photojournalist in Raleigh found themselves a part of their own story when they had a close encounter with a drive-by shooting Thursday night (June 10).
WRAL reporter Lora Lavigne and photojournalist Luke Notestine were driving in the 300 block of Elm Street in Raleigh when more than 10 shots were fired mere feet from their vehicles, the news station reports.
Lavigne and Notestine were interviewing a resident about gun violence in the community when they heard the first round of gunshots go off nearby. They attempted to leave the area, but they saw at least two suspects in a light-colored vehicle driving by while "firing several shots into the neighborhood."
Lavigne appeared in a news segment later that day following the incident, recounting the scary situation she never thought she would face while on the job.
"We cover shootings here in Durham nearly every day, but to be standing in the thick of it while doing our jobs gives us a firsthand experience of what residents here in Durham feel every moment ā fear, terror, hopelessness ā because you never really know when you're going to become the next victim."
"It's unbelievable," she said. "[I've] never experienced anything like that before, and I pray never again."
Another incident was reported nearby around Main and Elizabeth Streets, WRAL reports. No injuries were reported from either shooting, and police have apprehended one person in connection with one of the incidents.