Why Should Delaware Care?
Delaware has rarely seen mass shooting scenes like the ones that occurred Saturday — injuring scores of people in crowded public places.
Delaware saw one of its most violent days in recent memory Saturday as mass shootings on Halloween night at opposite ends of the state left one teen dead and 13 more young people wounded.
An outdoor party in rural Ellendale — about 7 miles south of Milford — became the scene of Delaware’s worst act of gun violence in recent memory. Nine people were shot by an unknown assailant, and one 17-year-old girl died from her injuries.
An hour later, the Halloween festivities in downtown Newark — home to the campus of the University of Delaware — were shaken Saturday night by a shooting near Main Street that left six people injured and hundreds of young revelers fleeing through city streets, police reported.
Both incidents were the worst mass shooting in Delaware in seven years by count of victims, according to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive. The largest number of victims ever recorded in a Delaware shooting was six, in a 2019 Wilmington incident.
Ellendale shaken by shooting
Delaware state police troopers responded to a reported shooting near the intersection of North Old State Road and U.S. Route 113 in Ellendale about 10 p.m. Saturday.
There, troopers found multiple victims with gunshot wounds, including a 17-year-old girl from Seaford who was transported to a hospital with life-threatening gunshot injuries, where she died. She was not immediately identified by police as they try to notify her family.
A 20-year-old man from Seaford was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening gunshot injuries and is in stable condition, police reported on Sunday.
Two 17-year-old boys from Selbyville, a 19-year-old girl from Ellendale, a 20-year-old woman from Seaford, a 20-year-old woman from Greenwood, a 20-year-old man from Seaford, and a 22-year-old woman from Laurel were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening gunshot injuries.
According to a preliminary investigation by DSP, an unknown suspect opened fire from a neighboring property into the crowd at the outdoor party, striking the nine victims.
The apparent scene was an empty lot next to the New Hope Recreation and Development Center, where a white event tent and a small tiki bar could be seen Sunday morning, according to Delaware Online/The News Journal.
The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit is actively investigating this case, and anyone who attended the party or has information relevant to the investigation is urged to contact Detective B. McDerby at 302-741-2821. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Newark sees unprecedented bloodshed
The shooting in Newark took place along its busy Main Street about 11:13 p.m. Saturday – a time when thousands of costumed University of Delaware students and locals were on city streets in the popular bar district for the holiday.
According to videos of the incident circulating on social media, multiple shots can be heard being fired. That sent hundreds of bystanders fleeing throughout Newark, leading to at least one person being struck by an oncoming car. That individual was able to walk away, according to the video.
As of Sunday morning, no suspects have been arrested or publicly identified by the Newark Police Department, which cordoned off the scene near the intersection of East Main and Choate streets. The shooting reportedly occurred on the sidewalk across the street from the popular Klondike Kate’s bar and restaurant.
In an interview with NBC10, witness Landon Singleton recounted seeing victims lying in the driveway of Trader’s Alley and ran to provide assistance. He found three victims with gunshot wounds to their leg, back and stomach, respectively.
Seeing that one of the victims did not have anyone rendering aid, he removed his shirt, balled it up and pressed it against his wound to try to stem the bleeding.
“He squeezed my hand, kind of like his last hope,” Singleton said.
On Sunday, police detailed that one of the victims — a 15-year-old boy shot in the back — is in critical condition.
Four more — a 19-year-old man shot in the back, a 20-year-old man shot in the chest who suffered a collapsed lung, a 15-year-old boy shot in the foot and a 16-year-old boy who suffered multiple gunshot wounds — remain in serious condition.
A 21-year-old woman, who sustained a graze wound to her leg, was treated and released from the hospital.
The Newark Police Department is asking the public for assistance in identifying the suspects or the circumstances that precipitated the shooting, and are asking anyone who has video footage or photos related to the incident to submit it through a secure link.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Paige Klein at 302-366-7100 ext. 3480 or by email at pklein@newark.de.us.
The incident has unnerved a college city that rarely sees such violence – particularly in the crowded Main Street corridor.
Intentional shootings in Newark, which has its own city police department along with the University of Delaware Police Department, are exceedingly rare. One of the last such incidents occurred in 2023.
While the shooter has yet to be identified, Newark police did report Sunday that the 16-year-old boy who suffered multiple gunshot wounds was charged with possession of a loaded firearm by a person under 21, carrying a concealed firearm without a license and breach of release — suggesting that he already faced other charges.
He was arraigned by a judge at Justice of the Peace Court 3 and was given $60,100 cash bail. The defendant remains hospitalized in Newark Police custody.
Officials react to violence
On Sunday morning, Gov. Matt Meyer condemned the acts of violence during a busy holiday in the state.
“No family should have to receive the call that someone they love has been shot. Today, people in Newark and Ellendale are facing pain and fear that no one should have to endure. My heart is with those injured, their loved ones and every Delawarean who has been impacted by these tragedies. I condemn these senseless acts of violence, and gun violence in all its forms,” he said in a statement. ” Every Delawarean deserves to feel safe in their community. This is not normal. We must never accept gun violence as a part of life in Delaware.”
Attorney General Kathy Jennings said that she has assigned prosecutors to investigations into both shootings, adding, “Nobody should have to worry about their kids getting home on Halloween. It’s unacceptable.”
Congresswoman Sarah McBride said Sunday morning that she was “heartbroken to wake up to the news of last night’s shooting.”
“What should have been a night of Halloween fun and celebration was instead shattered by senseless gun violence. My heart is with the six people who were injured, their loved ones, and the entire Newark community,” she said in a statement that was released before the details of the Ellendale incident were known. “Those responsible for this violence must be held accountable.”
Reps. Mara Gorman and Cyndie Romer, whose districts include the University of Delaware campus, added in a statement that “Main Street is the heart of our community, and no one should ever have to fear for their safety while walking through our town.”
“In our time serving our community, reducing gun violence and fighting for common-sense public safety measures has always been a deeply personal commitment. We can never accept gun violence as normal in our hometown,” they said.
Before being elected, Gorman was a lead volunteer with the Delaware chapter of Moms Demand Action, a gun safety organization.
U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester, Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay, Newark Mayor Travis McDermott and more also shared their thoughts and prayers for those affected by Saturday’s shootings.
