Raleigh police hunt two suspects after traffic stop shooting

Raleigh police are searching for two men after an attempted traffic stop on Jan. 7 escalated into a shooting and a multi-vehicle police response in the New Bern Avenue corridor. Officers tried to stop a car at 1:08 p.m. that they said was driving recklessly near New Bern Avenue and Corporation Parkway. The vehicle turned onto Beacon Lake Drive and led officers down a dirt road behind a business, where the encounter quickly turned chaotic.

As officers approached, an armed passenger jumped from the car and discarded a weapon that discharged a shot. That man ran around a building and fled into nearby woods, while the driver reversed the vehicle and sped away. No injuries were reported. Investigators recovered a weapon at the scene and say they have descriptions of the suspects, though those details had not been released.

Raleigh Police identified the driver as 19-year-old Norvell Young, who faces a charge of felony failure to elude arrest. The passenger who ran from the scene was identified as 21-year-old Jose Collado. Charges filed against Collado include possession of a weapon of mass destruction, possession of a firearm by a felon, and resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer. Police said the white 2018 Honda Accord involved in the incident was not stolen.

The incident sent more than a dozen police vehicles into the area and caused significant traffic congestion on New Bern Avenue, a major artery for commuters and delivery traffic in Wake County. Workers in nearby businesses described running for cover after hearing the gunfire, and neighbors said they were alarmed by the sudden escalation in what began as a routine traffic stop. For residents who commute through this stretch, the disruption underscored continuing concerns about public safety and the potential for routine enforcement to become violent.

The charges announced raise questions about local enforcement and court handling of cases involving alleged weapons offenses. Possession counts and the rare "weapon of mass destruction" charge in a traffic-stop context are likely to draw scrutiny from prosecutors and defense attorneys as the case proceeds through Wake County courts. Transparency about suspect descriptions, recovered evidence and the timeline of events will be important for public confidence as investigators continue their search.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the two suspects is asked to contact the Raleigh Police Department at (919) 996-3335. Tips from the community can help resolve open investigations more quickly and reduce uncertainty for neighbors and commuters.

The takeaway? Keep alert when passing police activity on your daily route, share any information you may have with Raleigh PD, and expect follow-up from authorities as charges move through the system. Our two cents? If you saw something that day, make the call — it helps keep our streets and commutes safer.