Police: Cop Who Hears Gunshots Nabs Fleeing Suspects

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Wilmington – On Tuesday August 8, 2017 at approximately 2:34 am, a Uniform Services Division officer assigned to “D” Platoon was on directed patrol in the area of W. 4th Street and N. Monroe when he heard several gun shots. The officer immediately notified dispatch. Seconds later the officer observed a gold minivan fleeing the area at a high rate of speed, eastbound on W.3rd Street from N.Monroe Street and then south on N. Madison Street the wrong way. The officer, operating a fully marked police vehicle got behind the vehicle and activated his emergency equipment, according to authorities.

The minivan pulled over in the area of W. 2nd and N. Madison Street. Additional police units arrived and a car stop was conducted where six occupants of the vehicle were removed without incident. Assisting officer’s who had responded into the area of the shots fired located a 61-year old-male victim, in the 300 block of N. Monroe Street. The victim was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the left knee area.

The victim was treated on scene by New Castle County Paramedics and transported to the Christiana Hospital in good condition. A crime scene was able to located in the 800 block of W 3rd Street.
The occupants of the minivan were transported to police headquarters where the investigation into the circumstances of this incident were investigated throughout the night by Detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division.

Officials said the investigation indicated that the operator of the minivan, identified as Darius Wrenn, 18, of Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, along with a front seat passenger, identified as a 15-year-old juvenile male of New Castle exited the vehicle in the 800 block of W. 3rd Street and approached the victim. The defendants demanded the victim’s property at gunpoint and then shot him in the knee area prior to re-entering the minivan, according to police. The four additional occupants of the minivan, identified as two 15-year-old juvenile males from New Castle, one 17-year-old juvenile male from New Castle, and one 18-year-male from Wilmington were not charged in reference to this incident.

Defendants Darius Wrenn and the 15-year-old juvenile were charged with Robbery in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, and Conspiracy 2nd Degree. Wrenn was also booked on various traffic offenses. Both defendants are pending arraignment, therefore no bail information is available.

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