Among one of the most significant and violent crimes alleged to have occurred at The Pines Apartments at 700 Ivey Road was an attempted murder on January 6, 2020. The victim, James Blackwell, a 19-year-old black male, was reportedly shot in the head and taken by life flight to a local trauma center, according to news stories published at the time.
On April 23, 2020, Graham police responded to a call about a domestic disturbance in which gunshots were fired at The Pines Apartment. Peter Lorenzo Allen, 30, black male, was later charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling; felony possession of a firearm by a felon; felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill; and several related charges.
Allen was later apprehended on April 24, 2020 and was taken to Alamance Regional Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries sustained during the arrest, the Graham police department said at the time. While being transported to Alamance County jail, Allen escaped from the back seat of the patrol vehicle, was apprehended, and taken to the Alamance County jail for booking.
In May 2021, Graham police responded to a shooting at The Pines Apartment, in which an unnamed victim was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, multiple news outlets reported at the time.
In late January of this year, Graham police responded to another call involving a home invasion and shooting at The Pines that left one suspect in critical condition at UNC Hospital; the resident sustained minor injuries, according to news reports.
Earlier this month, someone shot out the window of a car parked at The Pines; bullet fragments were recovered from a child’s car seat that was inside the car, Graham assistant police chief R.S. King confirmed this week for The Alamance News.
While the vehicle was unoccupied, an apartment that was shot into on the same date, April 1, was occupied at the time. No suspects have been apprehended in connection with either of those shootings, though the investigation remains ongoing, King said.
Read each of these stories in this week’s (April 28) edition of The Alamance News and online at alamancenews.com:
Graham Police: Pines Apts. has become hot spot for crimes involving guns, drugs, and gangs: https://alamancenews.com/graham-police-pines-apts-has-become-hot-spot-for-crimes-involving-guns-drugs-and-gangs/
Latest episode: Routine traffic stop results in apt. residents trying to interfere with police; three arrested – https://alamancenews.com/three-arrested-for-trying-to-disrupt-traffic-stop-at-the-pines-apts-in-graham/
Some “regulars” have serious criminal records: https://alamancenews.com/some-charged-at-the-pines-have-long-prior-records/
Covid eviction moratorium has prevented expulsion of criminal characters from the complex: https://alamancenews.com/evictions-moratorium-made-it-harder-to-get-rid-of-bad-actors/
Community policing is Graham police chief’s focus: https://alamancenews.com/a-model-for-graham/