DOVER SHOOTINGS, HOMICIDES
The following is a recap of 23 shooting and homicide incidents in Dover in just over 10 months, investigated by the Dover Police Department, Delaware State Police and Delaware State University Police Department:
2014
• On Aug. 11, a 20-year-old man died from injuries suffered in a July 23 stabbing incident in the unit block of South New Street. Two men were later arrested.
Police said it was Dover’s first homicide since Feb. 1, 2013, and that shooting of an 18-year-old Dover man at Whatcoat Village Apartments on Whatcoat Lane later brought a conviction.
• On Aug. 17, a man was shot in the leg in the 100 block of South New Street. A 34-year-old Dover man was later arrested.
• An Aug. 24 homicide on South Kirkwood Street that killed a 33-year-old New Jersey was later ruled an act of self-defense by the Dover Police Department.
• On Aug. 24, a 24-year-old man was killed and a 25-year-old woman injured during a post-party shooting in the 300 block of Simon Circle, police said. The investigation remains open, according to authorities.
• On Aug. 27, a man was shot in the foot in the area of Kirkwood and Division streets. State and city police used K-9 and aviation units to search the area but did not find a suspect.
However, on Dec. 17 police said warrants were obtained for a 22-year-old Hartly man on charges of second-degree assault, and other alleged felony offenses.
• On Oct. 19, a 26-year-old male was shot in the left hip during an incident at the Walter L. Fox American Legion Post 2 at 835 Bay Road, police said.
• On Oct. 31, police said they responded to an early evening shooting in which a 26-year-old male was wounded in the hand in the area of the 300 block of Fulton Street.
• On Nov. 1, a 22-year-old male Wesley College student was shot six times as a Halloween party was ending in the early morning. Police said a fight between a group of party-goers had occurred, and a suspect fired toward a group of people on Loockerman Street, just east of South State Street.
• On Nov. 2, a Driftwood Spirits Liquor Store clerk allegedly fired a 9 mm handgun at a man who was banned from the store, and was arrested. The alleged incident occurred at 153 S. Bradford St.
• On Nov. 3, police investigated an alleged shooting at Delaware State University’s Living and Learning Commons residence hall just north of the school’s main campus. Two Dover residents were arrested within days of the incident and later indicted on felony charges including first-degree assault.
2015
• On Jan. 8, a 44-year-old man was shot in the upper torso at the North Dover Plaza Shopping Center. A 25-year-old Dover man was later arrested in a hospital while he was recovering from shooting wounds from another alleged incident.
• On Jan. 25, the death of an 18-year-old Dover man was deemed a homicide after he was found lying next to railroad tracks south of Walker Road. He had been shot.
• On March 7, a 20-year-old Dover female was shot once during an incident at the Capital Inn at 1426 N. DuPont Highway. Police were told approximately 10 males were present before officers arrived.
• On March 9, a 23-year-old male was shot in the upper right leg at the Super Lodge Motel at 246 N. DuPont Highway.
• On March 16, a man was shot multiple times in the lower torso at the Rodney Village housing development.
• On April 18, three people were shot on Delaware State University’s main campus during a gathering of approximately 3,000. Another shots-fired report was investigated hours after the incident, and no injuries occurred.
• On April 26, a 29-year-old male died of a single gun shot in the area of the unit block of North New Street.
• On April 28, a 20-year-old Dover man was shot in the 100 block of South Queen Street, and an arrest was later made.
• On April 30, a 19-year-old man was shot and killed in a Pine Grove Apartments parking lot at 255 Webbs Lane. Two men were later arrested.
• On May 13, a 19-year-old Smyrna man died after being shot on Harmony Lane in the Walker Woods development. Two men were arrested within days.
• On May 15, a 19-year-old man was shot in the alley between Sussex Avenue and East Water Street in the Capital Green Development. Police said a 25-year-old Dover man was identified as a person of interest, and wanted on a first-degree attempted murder charge, among other alleged offenses.
• On May 18, a 27-year-old Dover man was shot as a vehicle drove slowly past his residence in the Dover East Estates mobile home development at 1061 S. Little Creek Road.
• On May 31, a 22-year-old man was found lying on the ground in the 1000 block of Nathaniel Mitchell Road suffering from gunshot wounds to his upper torso. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Preliminary investigation showed he was shot in the Alder Park Apartments area on Webbs Lane.[/caption] DOVER — The city’s eighth shooting in 44 days left an unidentified Dover man in critical condition after a Sunday night incident in the Alder Park Apartment complex, authorities said. According to the Delaware State Police, a 22-year-old man suffered gunshot wounds to his upper torso and was found lying on the ground in the 1000 block of Nathaniel Mitchell Road at approximately 9 p.m. The man was taken by EMS to an area hospital, spokesman Master Cpl. Gary E. Fournier said. The man was conscious when police arrived, but no details of any possible interactions were released. “We will not provide whether the victim gave a statement, as to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation,” Cpl. Fournier said Monday morning. Troopers conducted interviews near the scene and detectives are doing follow-up questioning. It initially was unknown if the man was alone at the time of the shooting, police said. Police said the shooting did not appear to be a random act. Queried about the number of times the man was shot, Cpl. Fournier responded it was “part of the ongoing investigation.” Also undisclosed was the type of firearm believed to be used and whether any evidence was recovered. Early investigation indicated the victim was shot in the area of the Alder Park Apartment J building on Webbs Lane and ran to the Nathaniel Mitchell Road location where he was found. Authorities said EMS responded within five minutes of the man being located. Police investigated at the scene for approximately three to four hours, authorities said. Police said late Sunday night that there was no suspect information since the ongoing investigation was in its early stages. While police said they would not “theorize” on the number of shootings in Dover recently, Cpl. Fournier did say, “in most cases, the commonality is drug related.” At least 10 people have been shot within Dover city limits since April 18, three who died. There have been five homicides in Dover in 2015, and seven overall since a man died on Aug. 11, 2014, from injuries sustained from a July 23 stabbing incident in the unit block of South New Street. Overall, there have been 23 shooting and/or homicides in just over 10 months. Arrests have been made in at least nine cases, according to police news releases. Suspects were identified publicly in two other cases, and one incident was ruled self-defense. Asked about any proactive law enforcement measures to address the rash of shootings in Dover, Cpl. Fournier replied that police are “actively conducting proactive enforcement in high crime/drug areas through the use of Governor’s Task Force and additional patrols when available.” Police asked anyone with information to call the Troop 3 Major Crimes Unit at 697-2104. Information can also be called into Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333, at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com or via anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”