After shootings involving young adults and minors During the July 4th weekend, the Raleigh City Council asked its city attorney to draft an ordinance establishing a curfew for minors under the age of 18.
The proposed initiative, which was presented on Wednesday, August 18, during the Council's working session, aims to guarantee the protection of minors, public safety, and parental responsibility.
What the ordinance proposes
The ordinance would establish a curfew for young people under the age of 18 who are not married, serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, or emancipated. The curfew would be in effect every day of the week, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
During those hours, the minor will not be allowed to remain in a public place or establishment, unless an exception applies.
What are the exceptions?
The minor would not be violating the ordinance if:
- Is he married or emancipated?
- He is accompanied by one of his parents, a legal guardian, or another authorized adult who is at least 21 years old.
- He works legally and travels directly to or from his job.
- Respond to an emergency
- It travels directly to or from a school, religious, recreational, civic, or governmental activity that meets the established requirements.
The ordinance also protects activities covered by the First Amendment, that is, if the minor participates in any protest.
In addition, other exceptions were proposed, including if the minor is attending a private event, is a college student, or is part of the United States Armed Forces.
“We also believe, although it is not included on this list, that there should be an exception for public events,” said Karen McDonald, a city attorney.
“This would include the State Fair, a performance such as a concert, or a sporting event. Sometimes these events end late. That's why we would propose adding an additional exception to cover these types of situations,” he added.
How would the ordinance be implemented?
According to McDonald, the rule does not automatically apply because a police officer finds a minor in a public place after 11 p.m. Rather, the ordinance requires the officer to verify the minor's age and ask the reason for their presence there.
“The officer may not process a juvenile petition or issue a citation unless there is probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed and none of the exceptions provided apply,” McDonald said.
Who can be declared violators of the ordinance?
- Minor, unless an exception applies.
- Parent or guardian who willfully allows a minor to be outside during restricted hours, is an accomplice of a minor, or refuses to pick up the minor.
- An establishment that violates the rule by allowing a minor to remain on its premises
What does the infraction consist of?
For minors, the case would be taken to Juvenile Court. For other offenders, such as parents or establishments, a civil citation would be issued, for a misdemeanor (Class 3) offense, with a maximum fine of $500.
Why consider a curfew ordinance for minors?
According to the Raleigh Police Department (RPD), the number of cases in which minors are listed as suspects or detainees increased by 9%, from 821 cases in 2025 to 894 cases in 2026. Of these, 63 in 2025 and 83 in 2026 were classified as violent incidents involving minors against whom charges were filed or a safe-custody order was obtained.
“In August 2026, we are already at 83 and we see that increase. We are observing that the trend of violence among minors increases year after year,” said Rico Boyce, police chief at the Raleigh Police Department.
Boyce said the Raleigh Police Department investigated six separate shootings related to the events of the July 4th weekend: one shooting in Brier Creek, four in Glenwood South, and one on 800 Capital Blvd.
Four of these investigations have resulted in arrests, and two remain active. Boyce added that there were other disturbances on the night of July 4, but that the shooting incidents, in which victims were rushed to the hospital, mostly involved minors.
“Regarding the violence on July 4 and 5, when people were shot, most of those cases involved minors,” Boyce said.
That is why, according to Boyce, the curfew for minors is a tool that will allow the Raleigh Police Department to continue keeping the city safe.
“I believe that, as chief, being able to establish a curfew during certain hours and days of the week would help curb some of the violence that minors are committing in our city,” Boyce added.
Related: Governor vetoes bill that lowered the age to carry weapons
Council members question the ordinance
Megan Patton, councilwoman for District B, questioned the ordinance and pointed to the presence of weapons as a possible root of the problem.
“Seeing the number of shots fired, I think less about how to get those young men home and more about how the presence, or rather, the enormous volume, of unsecured weapons "In our communities, this is the real root of the problem," Patton commented.
Councilwoman Stormie Forte also questioned the application of the ordinance.
“One of my concerns is to make sure that children, particularly African American and children of color, are not singled out, and to ensure that there is equitable treatment with this proposal throughout the city,” Forte said.
Boyce asserted that the ordinance is based on complaints.
“This isn’t simply about driving around looking for a minor they think might be committing a crime. This is about an actual crime that has been committed or is alleged to have been committed,” Boyce clarified.
Whats Next?
The City Council will reconvene on September 15 to consider this ordinance, and there will be two public comment sessions. One of them will be on September 15.
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