Nationwide — Diane Durgin, a 67-year-old white woman from New Hampshire, is facing a civil rights lawsuit for shooting at a Black man’s car after he drove onto her property by mistake. No criminal charges have been filed against her, but her actions violated state civil rights law.
According to WGME, the civil complaint says the October 20, 2024, incident began when the man came to pick up a car part he purchased, but ended up at Durgin’s property instead. When she saw he was Black, Durgin allegedly pulled a gun, threatened him, and used a racial slur.
Even after the man explained why he was there and offered to leave, Durgin reportedly continued pointing her gun. She then fired two shots at his car. The man drove off into a ditch, got out of the vehicle, and ran to call 911.
Durgin also called the police. In her 911 call, she repeatedly mentioned, “The guy is Black,” as her reason for shooting. She said she feared he might steal from her equipment yard but emphasized that his being Black motivated her actions, even admitting, “I shot at his car.”
In March 2025, a grand jury indicted Durgin on charges including reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, criminal threatening, and attempted first-degree assault. Meanwhile, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office says her conduct violated the state’s Civil Rights Act, which allows civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
Authorities say the civil complaint seeks to hold Durgin accountable under state law, even though criminal charges have not moved forward.