WILMINGTON, DE – A Delaware state trooper was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon while working an overtime shift at a DMV office, but not before pushing a civilian employee out of the line of fire in a final act of heroism.
The deadly encounter unfolded around 2 p.m. at a Division of Motor Vehicles location in Wilmington when a 44-year-old man who had entered as a customer opened fire without warning.
According to Delaware State Police Corporal Raushan Rich, the gunman approached the trooper who was stationed at the reception desk and shot him. Even after being hit, the trooper managed to shove a DMV employee out of harm’s way before the shooter fired again.
Both wounds proved fatal. The trooper was rushed to a hospital but could not be saved.
A New Castle County police officer responding to the active shooter situation confronted the gunman and shot him. The 44-year-old suspect was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after.
Two other people sustained minor injuries during the chaos. A 40-year-old woman suffered non-gunshot related injuries, and a second state trooper was treated for minor wounds. A 35-year-old woman was evaluated for shortness of breath but declined to be hospitalized.
Delaware State Police Superintendent Colonel William Crotty praised the fallen trooper’s courage in his final moments.
“Our trooper loved his community. He served with honor and integrity, and his life was cut short by senseless violence,” Colonel Crotty said. “His last actions were that of a hero.”
All state DMV locations were closed following the shooting as authorities investigated what motivated the attack. The gunman’s identity and any possible connection to the trooper or the DMV have not been disclosed.
Governor Matt Meyer and federal officials including U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wallace offered condolences and support for the investigation into the deadly shooting.
