Photo: Harry Wedzinga / iStock / Getty Images
The family of a North Carolina college student who was fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend says her killing could've been prevented if police had acted on her previous reports of abuse, per Newsone.
On Monday (August 11), London Powers, a 21-year-old North Carolina Central University student, was shot by her ex-boyfriend, Damien Tinsley, 23, at the Camden Pointe apartments in Durham. According to police, Tinsley died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Powers taken to the hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Powers’ friend, Shiann Boyd, who witnessed the shooting, said the victim was trying to move out of the apartment she shared with Tinsley when he showed up unexpectedly.
“There was a brief argument, then Damien got physical with London,” Boyd said. “She says her address. She says he has a gun. And that’s literally all she was able to say.”
Boyd said Tinsley then shot Powers before attempting to shoot her.
“I’m on the phone with the police, I’m screaming. I’m like, somebody please help me,” Boyd recalled.
According to Boyd, Tinsley made eye contact with her before turning the gun on himself.
Powers’ mother, Tia, said her daughter had called police on Tinsley multiple times before the shooting.
“When they get a call from a female saying that her life is in danger, they should show up and show out right away. Because maybe this could’ve been avoided,” she said. “He shot at her previously a couple of weeks ago and it grazed her. She called them then, and she called them the time after that.”
In a statement, North Carolina Centeral University described London as “a vibrant, hard-working and supportive student who poured her heart into her social work cohort.”
"A native of Washington, D.C., London was a dedicated member of the University Honors program with aspirations to earn her Master of Social Work degree, focusing on adolescent and mental health. She was actively engaged in campus life and had recently been elected event coordinator for the NCCU Social Work Society for the 2025-26 academic year. She was also preparing to begin her internship at the Durham Center for Senior Life, a role that reflected her passion for serving others," the university said in a statement.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.