6 Injured in Newark Halloween Shooting Near University of Delaware

Six people between the ages of 15 and 21 were injured when gunfire broke out on a crowded downtown street in Newark, Delaware, late on Halloween night, police said. The shooting, which happened steps from the University of Delaware campus, has left one teenager in critical condition, prompted a campus-wide class cancellation, and left investigators appealing to the public for video that could explain how it started.

The shooting happened at 11:13 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, on the south sidewalk of East Main Street, directly across from Choate Street and the popular restaurant Klondike Kate’s, according to Newark police. Halloween crowds were still thick downtown when the shots rang out, and witnesses described people running through the streets as traffic gridlocked around the scene.

All six victims were taken to local hospitals. Police released their conditions on Sunday afternoon, nearly 18 hours after the shooting, along with the news that one of the injured teenagers had been charged with weapons offences. No one has been identified as the shooter, and police say they do not yet know what prompted the gunfire.

What police say happened on Main Street

Newark police said the six victims were found spread out over roughly a city block, a detail corroborated by emergency dispatch traffic and by video taken from a passing car that showed injured people on the ground at several points along Main Street. At least one injured person was found inside the Head Quarters Smoke Shop, police said, with others on the sidewalk outside.

Officers closed Main Street from South Chapel Street to Haines Street for about five hours while they investigated. By 1 a.m., the street that had been packed with costumed revellers was quiet, with people walking around asking what had happened and food delivery drivers struggling to navigate the closed roads. By Sunday morning, the street was returning to normal, with people out for breakfast and Klondike Kate’s preparing for its Sunday service.

Police said in their first news release that there “does not appear to be an ongoing threat to public safety,” a position they repeated on Sunday. But they have released no information about how many people may have been involved in the gunfire, or whether more than one weapon was used.

It is also unclear whether anyone else was hurt in the chaos surrounding the shooting. Police noted that at least one video posted online shows a person being hit by a car while trying to run away from the scene.

The six victims, ages 15 to 21

Police on Sunday afternoon gave the first detailed account of the six people injured:

• A 15-year-old boy who was shot in the back and remains hospitalised in critical condition.
• A 15-year-old boy who was shot in the foot and remains hospitalised in serious condition.
• A 16-year-old boy from Wilmington who was shot multiple times, remains hospitalised in serious condition, and was found with a loaded handgun.
• A 19-year-old man who was shot in the back and remains hospitalised in serious condition.
• A 20-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound that caused a collapsed lung and remains hospitalised in serious condition.
• A 21-year-old woman who suffered a graze wound to her leg and has been treated and released.

A University of Delaware student was among those injured, according to the university’s Sunday evening update. Police have not released the names of any of the victims.

Teen victim charged, but not linked to the shooting

The 16-year-old from Wilmington was charged with possession of a firearm by a person under 21, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, and breach of release, police said. He has been arraigned and given $60,100 cash bail, but remains hospitalised under police custody.

Police were careful to draw a line around what the charges mean: they did not say the teenager fired a gun, and they did not connect him to the shooting itself. Because he is a juvenile, police cannot release additional identifying information about him.

The distinction matters. As of Sunday evening, police have not named a suspect or suspects in the shooting, and the investigation into who fired the shots — and why — remains open.

University of Delaware cancels Monday classes

In an email to the university community on Sunday, President Laura Carlson, Interim Provost Bill Farquhar and Ellen Herbst announced that all classes would be suspended on Monday, November 2, “to give students, faculty, and staff time to rest, process, and connect with support.”

University leaders stressed that the decision was not based on a safety concern, pointing to Newark police’s assessment that there is no ongoing threat. The campus will remain open, dining halls and services will continue, and professors have been asked to move work and reschedule exams. Counselling walk-in support will be available Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Warner Hall, with TimelyCare available around the clock.

The university is also closed on Tuesday, November 3, for Election Day, so classes will resume on Wednesday, November 4.

The shooting struck at the heart of a college town dominated by the university, where many students live downtown and around the area where the gunfire broke out. Students told local reporters that crowds were bigger than usual downtown because Halloween fell on a Saturday and coincided with other events and specials. Video posted by Klondike Kate’s on Facebook showed a long line of costumed people wrapping around the building before the shooting. The restaurant later clarified on Facebook that the shooting did not happen on its property.

Officials react, and a second Delaware shooting

Delaware Governor Matt Meyer issued a statement on Sunday praising law enforcement and emergency personnel who “answered the call” on Saturday night, and sending condolences to the families affected.

“No family should have to receive the call that someone they love has been shot,” Meyer said. “Every Delawarean deserves to feel safe in their community. This is not normal. We must never accept gun violence as a part of life in Delaware.”

Meyer also noted that Delaware State Police are assisting Newark police in the investigation, while separately investigating a shooting downstate in Ellendale on Halloween night, where nine people were injured when police say an unknown person sprayed gunfire into an outdoor party. A 17-year-old girl from Seaford was killed in that shooting, police said.

State Representatives Mara Gorman and Cyndie Romer, whose districts include the University of Delaware campus, issued a joint statement on Sunday morning calling Main Street “the heart of our community” and saying no one should ever have to fear for their safety while walking through town. They urged anyone with information to contact police and pledged to keep pushing for public safety measures.

According to a database maintained by Delaware Online and The News Journal, the Newark shooting was the first shooting in the city this year.

What investigators still need

Newark police are asking anyone who was downtown on Saturday night to share photos and video through the department’s evidence portal. Tips can also be provided to Detective Paige Klein at (302) 366-7100, extension 3480, or by email at [email protected].

As of Sunday evening, the central questions remain unanswered: what set off the shooting, how many people fired weapons, and whether the gunfire was targeted or indiscriminate. Police say further updates will follow as the investigation continues.

Frequently asked questions

Where did the Newark shooting happen?
On the south sidewalk of East Main Street in downtown Newark, Delaware, directly across from Choate Street and near Klondike Kate’s, steps from the University of Delaware campus.

How many people were injured in the Newark Halloween shooting?
Six people, ages 15 to 21, were injured. One 15-year-old boy is in critical condition, four people are in serious condition, and a 21-year-old woman was treated and released.

Has anyone been arrested over the Newark shooting?
A 16-year-old boy who was himself shot and seriously injured has been charged with weapons offences after police found him with a loaded handgun. Police have not said he fired a gun or connected him to the shooting, and no shooter has been publicly identified.

Are University of Delaware classes canceled?
Yes, all classes are suspended on Monday, November 2, to give students and staff time to process the shooting. The university is also closed on Tuesday, November 3, for Election Day, so classes resume Wednesday, November 4. The campus itself remains open.

Is there an ongoing threat in Newark?
Newark police say there does not appear to be an ongoing threat to public safety, and the university says its class suspension is not based on a safety concern.

Sources: Delaware Online / The News Journal, “What we know about downtown Newark shooting that left 6 people injured” and “University of Delaware cancels Monday classes after downtown shooting”; Newark Police Department updates via Delaware Online.

Delaware Online: What we know about the downtown Newark shooting
Delaware Online: University of Delaware cancels Monday classes