On October 6, 2022, at about 1308 hours, Newark Police School Resource Officers (“SRO”) assigned to Newark High School became aware of a disturbance in the building where there were was a report that subjects were trying to enter the school through an entrance other than the main entrance. While investigating that report, the SROs became aware that there may be a subject in the school armed with a firearm. School officials locked down the school while additional Newark Police Officers responded to the school to assist in the investigation.
During the investigation, officers learned the identity of the reportedly armed suspect and determined that he was a student at the school. Further investigation determined that the subject had likely fled the building. School officials were able to dismiss students at normal time in a staggered manner to limit the number of students in the halls at one time.
Newark Police went to the suspect’s Newark residence. Based upon evidence and witness statements at the scene, officers determined that a shooting had just occurred outside that residence. The victim of that shooting left the scene in a private vehicle and abandoned that private vehicle on Possum Park Road, where a passerby picked-up that victim and drove him to an area hospital for treatment. This shooting occurred in an area of Newark within New Castle County Police jurisdiction. The New Castle County Division of Police assumed that investigation and any inquiries as to the shooting should be directed to that agency.
While Newark Police were on scene at the suspect’s residence, they contacted the suspect. He was found to be suffering from a medical incident unrelated to the shooting and was subsequently transported to an area hospital for treatment.
Newark Police Detectives assumed the investigation into the initial report of the suspect with a gun at Newark High School. Detectives determined that a female student approached another student, determined to be the victim in this case. The female student tried to get the victim to exit the building to fight the suspect. The suspect then approached the victim and pulled up his sweatshirt, displaying a handgun in his waistband, while threatening harm to the victim.
Newark Police Detectives executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence and located a handgun.
Upon his release from the hospital, the suspect, a 16 year-old male from Newark, was transported to Newark Police headquarters where he was charged with:
- Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Juvenile
- Aggravated Menacing
- Terroristic Threatening
The suspect appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 by video and was ordered to be held in default of $16,000 cash bail. He was turned over to the custody of the New Castle County Detention Center in Wilmington.