Newark police arrest two in connection with Halloween mass shooting

Why Should Delaware Care?
Mass shootings are rare in Delaware. But on Halloween night, towns at opposite ends of the state suffered two of the worst shootings in recent years. The subsequent investigation into the Newark shooting moved forward this week, when police charged two teens with attempted murder.

Two teenagers have been charged with attempted murder for the Halloween night shooting that wounded seven people near the University of Delaware, Newark police announced Monday.

The incident, which occurred on East Main Street in Newark, was one of two mass shootings in Delaware that night. About an hour earlier, gunfire at an outdoor party in Ellendale, in Sussex County, killed a 17-year-old girl and wounded eight others. 

Together, the shootings unnerved people across a state that rarely sees such levels of violence in rural areas or in the biggest college town. 

During a Monday press conference, Newark Police Chief Mark Farrall said that a 17-year-old male from North East, Md., and an 18-year-old male from Wilmington were arrested and indicted on multiple charges, including attempted murder, firearm possession, conspiracy, reckless endangerment, and carrying a concealed weapon. 

The 17-year-old was also charged with possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 21. Both were indicted by a New Castle County grand jury on Monday morning. Detectives determined the two teens were the people who fired weapons that night, Farrall said.

Neither suspect was identified by Newark PD in keeping with House Bill 59, a new state law that limits when police can identify suspects charged with crimes who have not been adjudicated. The identities of those charged will soon be available in public court records.

Speaking alongside Newark officials and those from the Delaware Attorney General’s Office, Farrall also said police had been monitoring Main Street closely the night of the shooting. Police had previously become aware of plans circulating online for large gatherings in the area, referred to as “teen takeovers,” Farrall said. 

Although the arrests mark a significant development in the investigation, Farrall said investigators still have “a lot of questions to answer,” including what events led up to the gunfire and whether anyone else was involved.

“Our investigators continue to work to determine what precipitated this incident, the sequence of events that unfolded, and whether or not any other additional individuals are involved,” Farrall said.

Gunfire on Halloween night

Officers responded to the Oct. 31 shooting shortly after it occurred around 11:11 p.m. on East Main Street near Choate Street, Farrall said.

At the time, the popular bar district was packed with costumed University of Delaware students and locals celebrating the holiday.

According to videos that circulated on social media, multiple shots can be heard, sending hundreds of bystanders fleeing, and leading to at least one person being struck by an oncoming car. That individual was able to walk away, according to the video.

Farrall said officers arrived within 20 seconds of receiving the alert, but the gunfire had already stopped.

As crowds were dispersing from Main Street, the suspects fled in a vehicle about 30 seconds after the shooting, Farrall said.

Seven victims were ultimately identified, including five teenagers.  

Those injured included two 15-year-old boys, who were shot in the back and foot, respectively. The victim shot in the back remains hospitalized in stable condition, while the other was treated and released. One was from Wilmington and the other from New Castle.

A 19-year-old man from Plymouth Meeting, Pa., also suffered a gunshot wound to his back and remains hospitalized in stable condition. 

A 20-year-old man from Wilmington was also shot in the back and suffered a collapsed lung but has since been released from the hospital. A 21-year-old woman from Wilmington sustained a graze wound to her leg and was treated and released.

A 16-year-old boy also suffered gunshot wounds to his midsection and lower body and remains hospitalized in stable condition. He was also found in possession of a handgun and was later charged with possession and other charges. Police did not confirm whether the teen played a direct role in the incident. 

Two days later, police found the seventh victim, a 17-year-old from New Castle who suffered a graze to his lower body and did not initially report his injuries. The teen was treated and released from the hospital. 

During their investigation, police used the Newark Police Public Safety camera system and automated license plate readers to track down the suspects, Farrall said.

“I can’t emphasize enough the value of that technology,” he said.

The University of Delaware canceled classes on Monday, Nov. 2, after the shooting.

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.

About 15 miles from Newark in Wilmington, there has been an uptick in shootings this fall, prompting residents to call for accountability and more transparency about how police are working to stop the violence. A triple shooting that killed one man occurred there last week.

Police warned of ‘teen takeovers’

Leading up to the Halloween shooting, Farrall said police were aware of plans for large gatherings that night, which he referred to as “teen takeovers.”

Police contacted adolescents believed to be involved in organizing or attending the gatherings. Officers also monitored social media activity and encouraged people to stay away from Newark and avoid participating in the events.

Some individuals told police they would not come to the area in response to the department’s planned police presence, Farrall said.

Newark police increased staffing throughout the weekend, particularly near the downtown business district. Officers were also assisted by the University of Delaware Police, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police and the Delaware Division of Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana Enforcement.

“We had no actionable intelligence or information to corroborate that there was any legitimate threat of violence to our community. Nevertheless, we recognized the potential for extremely large crowds in Newark as part of Halloween weekend,” Farrall said.

Following the shootings in Newark and Ellendale, several state and federal officials condemned the violence and expressed support for those injured and their families.

“This is not normal. We must never accept gun violence as a part of life in Delaware,” Gov. Matt Meyer said in a public statement.