Durham, NC: Burnett Taylor shot ex-girlfriend Charlene King at Duke Health clinic

By KEITH UPCHURCHkupchurch@heraldsun.com; 419-6612DURHAM -- Domestic violence counselors say that Tuesday's murder of a worker at a Duke University Health System clinic by a former boyfriend with a history of violence against women highlights the importance of victims getting help before it's too late. Meanwhile, Durham County Sheriff Worth Hill and Police Chief Jose Lopez confirmed that two law officers shot the gunman, Burnett Taylor, 51, after he allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend, Charlene King.King, 49, was shot to death inside the clinic at 3116 N. Duke St. shortly before 3 p.m. Taylor was found hiding at Broad and Carver streets, and he exchanged gunfire with Durham police officer B.T. Black and Durham County sheriff's deputy William Carson Jr. Taylor died at Duke University Hospital a few hours later. Taylor was a registered sex offender and had served 12 years of a 35-year sentence for an October 1993 second-degree rape conviction, according to Department of Correction records. He got probation for convictions of misdemeanor assault on a female in February 2007 and March 2009. King had not filed a domestic violence order against Taylor, but another woman filed an order against him in November claiming Taylor attacked her, according to court records. Taylor was facing charges of driving under the influence, communicating threats and injury to personal property. Lopez said on Wednesday that Black is on administrative duty pending an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation, standard procedure for a shooting in which an officer fires a weapon. The sheriff said his deputy is on brief administrative leave for his well-being. "We might do it for a few days, just for psychological reasons," Hill said. "As far as I'm concerned, it's a clear-cut case. He hasn't done anything wrong, but for his well-being, we'll give him a few days off."Hill said Carson, a K-9 unit deputy, "tracked the person [with his dog] to what they call a thicket, and that's when all the fireworks started. The individual shot, and then they returned fire."Lopez confirmed that Taylor had a long criminal history and that the victim had been in a relationship with him. "She was the intended target," Lopez said Wednesday. Deanna Manley, crisis line coordinator at the Durham Crisis Response Center, which helps domestic violence victims, said Tuesday's bloodshed "was very unfortunate for the Durham community. We feel we can use it as a teachable moment to help the community see just how severe this problem is. As soon as we heard the news reports, we knew it was probably domestic violence."Manley said the victim's family may not have realized "what she was going through." She said it's important for victims to reach out to others and call the crisis line.The victim reportedly had ended a yearlong relationship with Taylor. "When a person decides to leave their relationship that has been one of violence, it's 70 times more likely they will be murdered once they leave," Manley said. The North Duke Street clinic where the slaying occurred was closed Wednesday, but is expected to reopen today. Patients with questions about their appointments can call (919) 613-7650.