Two Suspects Arrested in Fatal Dover Shooting After Delaware State Homecoming Events: One Caught on Oct. 16, an 18-Year-Old Arrested in Maryland on Oct. 21; Both Face First-Degree Murder Charges
DOVER, Delaware — The Dover Police Department said on October 21 that it has arrested two male suspects in connection with the October 10 shooting in the Dover Commons shopping center parking lot that killed Nasir Cox, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and injured a 21-year-old male. The incident number is 50-26-36238. In its release, the department noted that Delaware's House Bill 59, which took effect on October 21, limits law enforcement's release of names and photographs of people charged with crimes, and the release did not name either suspect.
During the investigation, detectives identified a 22-year-old male from Dover as one of the suspected shooters and obtained warrants for his arrest and a search of his residence, police said. On October 16 at approximately 1:10 p.m., members of the department's Special Operations Response Team, Drugs, Vice and Organized Crime Unit, and Criminal Investigations Unit responded to a residence in the 500 block of Crawford Avenue, assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service First State Fugitive Task Force and Delaware State Police; the suspect exited the residence after officers announced their presence and was taken into custody without incident. During the search, investigators recovered a 9mm handgun, ammunition, and clothing and accessories matching those worn during the shooting. Detectives identified an 18-year-old male as the second suspected shooter and obtained an arrest warrant; information indicated he may be in Sussex County, Delaware, or Eastern Maryland. On October 21, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force–Salisbury located the 18-year-old at a residence in Snow Hill, Maryland; he was taken into custody without incident and is being held in Maryland pending extradition to Delaware.
Both suspects face charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony (three counts), first-degree reckless endangering (four counts), and carrying a concealed deadly weapon, police said. "These arrests reflect the persistence, investigative skill, and professionalism required to bring a complex and challenging case to this stage," Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson, Jr. said. "Our investigators worked diligently to identify those responsible, develop the evidence, and coordinate apprehensions across jurisdictional boundaries. I am grateful to the Delaware State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service First State Fugitive Task Force, and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force–Salisbury for their invaluable assistance. While these arrests cannot undo the harm inflicted, they represent an important step toward accountability and justice for the victims, their families, and our community." Police noted that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
According to the department's original narrative, the shooting took place on Saturday, October 10, at approximately 9:19 p.m. Prior to the shooting, thousands of students and visitors attending Delaware State University's homecoming events were required to end events and leave campus at approximately 6:00 p.m., resulting in large crowds gathering at several nearby shopping centers and other locations. More than 50 officers from the Dover, New Castle County, Wilmington, Smyrna and Camden police departments, along with Delaware State Police, were already working in the area to manage crowds and respond to large disturbances that included multiple fights, calls for disorderly behavior, and reports of shots fired at multiple locations. At approximately 9:19 p.m., officers controlling crowds in a nearby parking lot heard several gunshots and observed people running from the Dover Commons parking lot; they located a 21-year-old male suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body and, while rendering aid, located a second victim, Cox, also suffering from gunshot wounds. Because the Route 13 corridor between the university and several shopping centers was completely gridlocked, which would have delayed emergency medical response, officers transported both victims to Bayhealth Kent Campus in police vehicles; Cox later died from his injuries, and the 21-year-old male remained hospitalized and stable at that time. The investigation remains ongoing; anyone with information, photographs or videos from the area around the time of the shooting is asked to contact the Dover Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit at 302-736-7111, or submit tips through Delaware Crime Stoppers or the department's online contact form, and tipsters may remain anonymous, police said.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · Ken Lund · CC BY-SA 2.0
