Delaware State Police are conducting an investigation following a shooting incident that took place Wednesday afternoon in Greenwood during a warrant operation.
At around 1:30 p.m. on March 11, 2026, multiple Delaware State Police units responded to the 11000 block of Wheatfield Road in Greenwood to carry out a search warrant and arrest 60-year-old Jeffrey Mitchem. The response team included officers from the Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration (SOAR) Unit, Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Unit, and the Special Operations Response Team (SORT). The FBI’s National Threat Operations Center had alerted DSP earlier that day about menacing online messages posted by Mitchem. He had also transmitted a photograph showing himself with what looked like a black handgun to a State Police SOAR detective, accompanied by an image of a coffin. Mitchem was also sought by Arlington County Police Department in Virginia on charges of felony terroristic threatening.
Upon arrival, officers found that Mitchem had locked himself inside his camper and would not comply with orders to exit. The DSP Crisis Management Team made contact with Mitchem, but he continuously rejected surrender demands and claimed he possessed a significant quantity of gunpowder while holding a detonation trigger. Officers observed Mitchem scattering what looked like an unidentified powder throughout the camper interior, and he concealed one hand when appearing at the doorway, lending credibility to his explosive threats.
An officer discharged one round, striking Mitchem in the arm. After being shot, Mitchem discarded a handgun from the camper, came outside, and was arrested without additional resistance. Officers administered medical aid until paramedics arrived, and he was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.
Following standard Delaware State Police protocols for shootings involving officers, the Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation. Initial findings by detectives revealed that the black handgun Mitchem had thrown from the camper was actually an airsoft replica of a Walther PPS M2 firearm. During the camper search, investigators discovered that Mitchem had positioned a 6.5-inch wooden-handled hunting knife on a shelf near the entrance where he had been standing before his arrest. Due to previous felony convictions, Mitchem is legally forbidden from possessing deadly weapons. The DSP Explosive Ordnance Disposal team verified that the mysterious powder was not explosive material.
Mitchem continues to receive hospital treatment. He faces multiple charges, was processed through Justice of the Peace Court 11, and was remanded to Delaware Department of Correction custody with a $43,000 secured bond.
The charges against Mitchem include:
• Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited (Felony)
• Intent Threaten the Life of or Threatens Severe Physical Injury to Public Official or Public Servant (Felony) – 19 counts
• Resisting Arrest
The officer involved in the shooting has been assigned to administrative leave pending a use-of-force review conducted jointly with the Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust.
The investigation remains ongoing, and detectives encourage anyone with relevant information to contact Detective M. Csapo at (302) 741-2729. Tips can also be submitted through private Facebook messages to the Delaware State Police or by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Crime victims, witnesses, or those who have lost loved ones to sudden death can access support through the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and Delaware Victim Center, available 24/7 at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461) or via email at [email protected].
