New Castle – The Delaware State Police have arrested a New Castle, DE man for aggravated menacing after he threatened juveniles with a knife, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Melissa Jaffe.
Jaffe said the incident occurred on August 17, 2019, at approximately 5:07 p.m., when a Trooper was approached by a subject, 49-year-old John C. McDaniels of New Castle, in the Crossroads Shopping Center, located at 2062 New Castle Avenue in New Castle. McDaniels reported that he was shot with a pellet or bb style gun by several male juveniles who were riding bicycles.
A 14-year-old male had also approached the Trooper at the scene and stated that he and four other male juveniles were riding bicycles in the area of New Castle Avenue and the ramp from northbound I-295, when they crossed paths with McDaniels and a verbal altercation ensued.
Through further investigations is was learned that McDaniels was the aggressor and had displayed a knife in a threatening manner towards the juveniles, said Jaffe. Two of the juveniles subsequently obtained bb or pellet style gun that was in their possession and shot McDaniels several times, according to Jaffe. McDaniels sustained minor injuries. The juveniles did not sustain injuries.
McDaniels was taken into custody without incident and found in possession of a knife and .30 grams of Methamphetamine. He was transported back to Troop 2 where he was charged with the following:
Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony
Aggravated Menacing
Terroristic Threatening
Possession of a Controlled Substance
Disorderly Conduct
McDaniels was arraigned before the Justice of the Peace Court and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Facility on $23,000.00 secured bond.
Reports from the same general area yesterday, Saturday, August 17, 2019, indicated that DRBA Police and DSP Troopers were searching for several juvenile males that had fled from both agencies. As Troopers tried to catch up with the group on I-295 a DRBA Police officer made contact with the group. At that point, the group dropped their bicycles, jumped a fence, and fled into a neighborhood. That group was said to be in possession of a pellet or BB gun as well. It is not clear if these are the same individuals involved in the above-mentioned incident.
At approximately 5:00 this evening, Sunday, August 18, 2019 Troopers once again received reports of a group of five juvenile males that had just fled from a local discount store after a window was shot out at the business. Troopers caught up with three of the juveniles at Route 9 in the area of Rodney Drive. Two others fled. It’s also not clear if this incident is related to the groups mentioned above.