Diane Durgin, a 67-year-old New Hampshire woman, is at the center of a deeply troubling case that has drawn the attention of both state prosecutors and civil rights authorities. What began as a routine errand for an unsuspecting man ended in gunfire, a wrecked car, and a 911 call that authorities say reveals a disturbing pattern of racially motivated behavior.
The incident took place in October 2024, and its details paint a picture that has since prompted the New Hampshire Attorney General to file a formal civil rights complaint against Durgin, alleging multiple violations directly connected to the shooting. The case has since gained national attention as one of the more stark examples of racial bias playing out in a civilian confrontation.
A wrong turn that turned violent
The victim at the center of the case was not looking for trouble. He had made prior arrangements to purchase a car part and accidentally drove to the wrong property while searching for the correct location to finalize the transaction. It was an honest mistake, the kind anyone could make while navigating an unfamiliar area.
When he arrived at Durgin’s property and realized his error, he calmly explained the situation and made clear that he intended to leave. By any reasonable measure, the encounter should have ended there. Instead, what followed was anything but a peaceful resolution.
Rather than allowing the man to go on his way, Durgin allegedly drew a firearm, pointed it directly at him, and directed a racial slur at him. The interaction escalated rapidly. When he attempted to drive away from the property, Durgin fired two shots at his vehicle, striking it as he tried to flee.
The car veered off the driveway and rolled into a ditch as a result of the chaos. The man abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot to the end of the driveway, where he called 911 to report what had just happened to him. He was shaken but physically unharmed.
The 911 call that sealed the Durgin case
While the victim was calling for help, Durgin had already picked up the phone to call 911 herself. In that call, which has become one of the most damning pieces of evidence in the civil rights complaint against her, she told dispatchers that the man was Black and that she believed he had come to her property with the intention of stealing from her.
She made no mention of the fact that he had clearly explained his presence or that he had offered to leave without incident. Instead, she framed her suspicion almost entirely around his race, and confirmed to the dispatcher without hesitation that she had fired at his car.
Authorities say her own words in that call provide some of the clearest and most direct evidence of the racial bias that motivated her actions that day, undermining any claim that the shooting was simply a case of a frightened homeowner acting out of genuine fear.
Charges and civil rights violations facing Durgin
A grand jury indicted Durgin in March 2025 on three serious criminal charges. Those charges include reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, criminal threatening against a person with a deadly weapon, and attempted first-degree assault with a deadly weapon.
Beyond the criminal case, the civil rights complaint filed by the state attorney general alleges that Durgin acted out of racial bias and prejudice, which directly motivated both her threats against the victim and her attempt to damage his property. Each violation of the state Civil Rights Act carries a maximum civil penalty of $5,000.
Prosecutors have also requested a preliminary restraining order to prevent Durgin from making any contact with the victim while the case moves forward.
The case has thrust New Hampshire into a broader national conversation about race, gun violence, and accountability, raising urgent questions about the experiences Black Americans continue to navigate in spaces that should feel ordinary and safe.
