An 18-year-old Laurel man died and two others were injured in a shooting Sunday, resulting in the closure of schools in the Laurel School District the following day.
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LAUREL — An 18-year-old Laurel man died and two others were injured in a shooting Sunday, resulting in the closure of schools in the Laurel School District the following day.
According to the Delaware State Police, at approximately 2:47 p.m., troopers responded to a reported shooting on the 500 block of West Seventh Street. They located a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the porch of a residence, authorities said. He was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The man’s name is being withheld by police until notification of kin.
Troopers added that two other Laurel males, ages 15 and 13, were also found on the porch, suffering from gunshot wounds to their lower bodies. The teens were transported to an area hospital, where they were admitted in stable condition. Police said Monday afternoon that their conditions had not changed.
Due to the nature of the case, the Laurel Police Department requested that the state police Homicide Unit assume the investigation.
Its preliminary inquiry revealed that two unknown suspects approached the victims on foot and started shooting. After numerous rounds were fired, the suspects fled on foot in an unknown direction, police said.
Troopers determined that this was not the result of an active-shooter situation, police said.
Police ask anyone with information to contact Detective M. Csapo at 302-741-2729, to send a message via the state police Facebook page or to call Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.
On Sunday night, the Laurel School District announced on Facebook that all schools would be closed Monday.
The post read, in part: “Hello Laurel Families, this is Dr. (Shawn) Larrimore, and I must share some distressing news that has deeply impacted our community. Earlier today, a tragic shooting incident occurred in our town, and as of this moment, there are still individuals at large whom the authorities are actively pursuing.
“The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community members remain our top priority.
“Given the ongoing nature of this incident, we have made the decision to cancel school for tomorrow, Monday, October 30. We believe this precautionary measure is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone associated with our school district.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to our students and their families affected by this incident, and we hope for a swift resolution to this ongoing situation. We will continue to closely monitor developments and stay in close contact with local law enforcement to ensure we have the most up-to-date information regarding the situation.”