2 Teens Charged in Connection With Halloween Night Shooting Near University of Delaware

Two teenagers face multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder following a Halloween night mass shooting near the University of Delaware that left seven people injured.

Shots rang out around 11:11 p.m. on October 31 along East Main Street near Choate Street in Newark, striking victims ranging in age from 15 to 21. Investigators have not yet determined what triggered the gunfire in the crowded downtown area, according to law enforcement officials.

The suspects include an 18-year-old man from Wilmington, Delaware, and a 17-year-old boy from North East, Maryland. U.S. Marshals arrested the 18-year-old in Wilmington on Monday morning, while authorities took the 17-year-old into custody in Cecil County on November 6.

Both teenagers were indicted on charges of attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, conspiracy, reckless endangerment, and carrying a concealed deadly weapon. The 17-year-old faces an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 21 and remains held at a juvenile detention facility in Maryland awaiting extradition.

Investigators relied heavily on digital evidence to track down the suspects. Surveillance footage captured the two individuals before, during, and immediately after the shooting, while automated license plate recognition technology helped authorities identify their vehicle.

“I can’t emphasize enough the value of that technology,” Newark Police Chief Mark Farrell stated during a Monday press conference, noting that public safety cameras and license plate readers provided critical leads early in the investigation.

Police noted they had increased downtown patrols ahead of Halloween with assistance from the University of Delaware Police and the ATF, even reaching out to the Delaware State Police and New Castle County Police for crowd control help shortly before the violence erupted.

The injured victims span a wide age range. The wounded include a 19-year-old man shot in the back, a 20-year-old man who suffered a collapsed lung, a 21-year-old woman with a graze wound to the leg, a 15-year-old boy shot in the back, a 15-year-old boy shot in the foot, a 16-year-old boy shot in the midsection and lower body, and a 17-year-old boy who sustained a graze wound.

University of delaware shooting — Photo: nbcphiladelphia.com

Four of the victims—the 20-year-old man, the 21-year-old woman, the 17-year-old boy, and the 15-year-old boy shot in the foot—have been treated and released from area hospitals. Three others remain hospitalized in stable condition.

Complicating the legal fallout, one of the victims—the 16-year-old boy—now faces criminal charges himself. Police and court records indicate he was charged with carrying a loaded gun, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, and breach of release.

Authorities continue to urge anyone with photos, videos, or information about the Halloween night shooting to contact the Newark Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit or reach out directly to Detective Paige Klein.