Newark Police Release Detailed Report On Capitol Trail Shooting

Newark Police have released additional details surrounding the shooting on Capitol Trail Sunday.

Officials said on May 31, 2020, at about 12:01 am, Newark Police were dispatched to the 500 block of Capitol Trail for a report of a burglary in progress. While officers were responding, an additional call was received reporting a shooting at the same location.

When officers arrived they found a male suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg inside a vehicle. Police immediately requested an ambulance to the scene. While officers were tending to the man with the gunshot wound, they made contact with another man who was identified as the shooter. He was taken into custody at the scene.

Newark Police Detectives arrived and assumed the investigation. Detectives determined that a female called a male acquaintance at the apartment in the 500 block of Capitol Trail and told him that she thought she was being followed by subjects in a car behind her. The female did not know the subjects in the vehicle following her and believes they thought she may have cut them off while driving.

Officials said once at the intersection of Capitol Trail and East Cleveland Avenue, the driver of that car, later identified as Cody Johns, exited his vehicle and jumped into the bed of the female’s truck. The passenger in Johns’ vehicle, later identified as Christopher Troutman, got into the driver’s seat and followed the female’s truck down Capitol Trail to the apartment. There were two additional females in the rear seat of Johns’ vehicle.

Upon arrival at the apartment on Capitol Trail, the male acquaintance along with another male, were waiting outside. Johns was attempting to kick the back window of the truck and a physical altercation ensued among Johns and the two males waiting at the apartment. The two males then fled from Johns into the apartment, with both Johns and Troutman pursuing them. Johns and Troutman entered the apartment and assaulted the two males, according to the police. At that point, another male, who was a resident of the apartment, ordered them to leave the apartment. Johns and Troutman did not comply. The male resident grabbed a shotgun and ordered Johns and Troutman to leave. The male resident continued to retreat into the apartment at which point the male resident fired one round, striking Johns in the leg.

The males from the apartment suffered minor injuries but did not require medical attention.

Johns was transported to an area hospital suffering from a serious leg injury.

Cody Johns, 29, of Bear and Christopher Troutman, 31, of Elkton, MD, were taken into custody without incident at the scene by Newark officers. Camryn Thomas, 23, of New Castle, was also taken into custody at the scene. She had been a passenger in Johns’ vehicle and entered the apartment with them at the time of the assault, according to police.

All three suspects were transported to Newark Police headquarters where they were charged as follows:

Cody Johns

Burglary First Degree
Conspiracy Second Degree
Assault Third Degree (2 counts)
Offensive Touching
Menacing

Christopher Troutman

Burglary First Degree
Conspiracy Second Degree
Offensive Touching (2 counts)
Camryn Thomas
Criminal Trespass First Degree

Troutman and Thomas appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 by video and were released on their own recognizance. Johns appeared before the same court by video from the hospital where he was admitted. He received $14,600 secured bail and his custody was turned over to the Delaware Department of Correction at the hospital.

The male resident of the apartment, who shot Johns, has not been charged with a crime, accoring to police.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Det. A. Whitt at (302) 366-7100 x. 3483 or [email protected]. Additional methods for providing information to Newark Police can be found on our tips page, where reward information may also be available.

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