(Claymont, DE 19703) On Monday, July 7, 2025, at approximately 8:35 a.m., Officers from the New Castle County Division of Police responded to the unit block of Palace Avenue in the Stockdale neighborhood for a report of a shooting.
Upon arrival, Officers located a 26-year-old male victim who had sustained a gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers immediately rendered first aid until Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene. The Victim was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was treated and released.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit responded and assumed the investigation. Through investigative efforts, Detectives determined that 22-year-old Johnny Washington had been involved in a dispute with the Victim. During the altercation, Washington retrieved a firearm and fired multiple rounds at the Victim. At the time of the shooting, the Victim was standing next to a 25-year-old female and a 3-year-old child. Neither the woman nor the child sustained any injuries.
In addition to the Victim being struck, one of the rounds also struck an unoccupied vehicle on the roadway.
Following the incident, Washington fled the scene but was quickly located by responding officers and taken into custody without further incident.
Johnny Washington was transported to New Castle County Police headquarters and charged with the following crimes:
- Two felony counts of reckless endangerment in the first degree.
- One felony count of assault in the first degree
- One felony count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
- One felony count of possession of a firearm by a person prohibited.
- One felony count of tampering with physical evidence.
- One misdemeanor count of criminal mischief over $1000.
Johnny Washington was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution after failing to pay $155,000.00 cash bail.
Anyone with information related to these cases is asked to contact Detective Fitzgerald at (302) 395-8133 or Andrew.Fitzgerald@newcastlede.gov. You may also call the New Castle County Police non-emergency number at (302) 573-2800. Tipsters can remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333 or submitting a tip online at http://www.delawarecrimestoppers.com.
Johnny Washington -22