Wilmington – Wilmington Police (WPD) are investigating a shooting that took place last evening, Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at approximately 8:15 p.m., according to authorities.
Officials said that WPD officers responded to the area of 5th and Willing Street in reference to a shot spotter notification of gunfire. As officers were responding into the area 911 calls were received in reference to shots fired in the area of the 400 block of Washington Street with a possible victim down, according to police
Arriving police units located a 28 year old male victim at 3rd and Washington Street suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to his abdomen, left leg and left foot. The victim was treated on scene by New Castle County Paramedics and transported to the Christiana Hospital in stable condition.
Last night’s shooting is just the latest in string of shootings that have plagued the city over the last 30 days. Shootings and homicides have skyrocketed in January of 2017. Last month saw 25 people shot in 21 separate incidents incidents. 8 of those victims died from their wounds. Compare that to January 2016 where only 9 people where shot in 5 separate incidents leaving 2 dead.
Last week Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki announced his plan to begin to deal with the violence in his city.
Mayor Mike Purzycki said that the steady stream of lawlessness that has played out in some city neighborhoods since the first of the year will not be tolerated. He said Wilmington is adding new policing tactics to the enhanced city police deployments that took effect last week. The Mayor today announced a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement operation to reduce the incidence of violent gun crimes.
Purzycki is hoping that bringing in federal, state and county police to supplement Wilmington PD is the answer.
Mayor Purzycki met last week with Federal, State and County agencies and requested assistance to supplement the efforts of the City police department whose authorized strength will be increased by 19 additional officers next month when they graduate from the police academy. The Mayor said the increased law enforcement operation, to be known as Operation Safe Streets, will be carried out in known crime areas, and will be accompanied by police and civilian efforts to garner the community’s support for and assistance with the intense crack-down on crime.
Agencies involved in Operation Safe Streets include the Wilmington Police Department, Delaware State Police, the New Castle County Police Department, the Delaware Department of Justice, Delaware Department of Correction’s Probation and Parole Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshal’s Office.
In last weeks statement the mayor called on the community to help stop the violence.
This police and community effort is going to require all citizens of Wilmington to participate, even those who would rather not, in cooperating with ongoing investigations and reporting criminal activities,” said Mayor Purzycki. “The majority of people who live in high crime areas are eager to stop the relatively small number of criminals who are obtaining guns and shattering lives and communities. Expanded efforts to locate and arrest these individuals will be more successful if neighborhood residents support and assist the police. This will not be a situation in which everyone is treated as a suspect. We will respect the rights of law abiding citizens, however, we know what we need to do to apprehend those who have been committing the crimes and we are going to do it.
This latest shooting is under investigation. Authorities ask anyone with information relative to this incident to call Detective Michael Hayman at 302-576-3620.