(New Castle, DE 19720) On Friday, February 10, 2023, at 5:58 p.m. officers from the New Castle County Division of Police and surrounding jurisdictions responded to the unit block of Deen Street in Hampton Green Townhouses – New Castle in reference to a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located a 15-year-old male victim inside a residence on Deen Street. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to his upper body and died as a result of his injuries.
While additional officers were arriving, a suspect was observed running from the scene. Officers chased after the suspect and took him into custody after a brief pursuit. The suspect was identified as a 16-year-old male.
Multiple witnesses were contacted, and it was learned that the suspect, victim and other individuals were inside the residence on Deen Street. The suspect then pulled out a handgun and began pointing it at subjects on scene. The suspect then fired the gun one time striking the victim.
After further investigation, detectives from the New Castle County Division of Police charged the 16-year-old suspect with one count of manslaughter, one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and one count of possession of a firearm by a person under 21. The suspect was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11 and held at the New Castle County Detention Center on $130,000.00 cash bail.
“My heart goes out to the victim’s family and everyone else involved in this senseless incident,” stated Colonel Joseph Bloch, Chief of Police. “Guns are glorified by so many of our young teens and it is all too often that they end up in the hands of our youth leading to tragedies like this.”
If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime and needs assistance, the New Castle County Division of Police Victim Services Unit is available to offer you support and resources at (302)-395-8000.
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