Law enforcement authorities have apprehended a second suspect in connection with an attempted murder case that occurred on the evening of June 27, 2023.
Officers responded to the 1200 block of West 4th Street in Wilmington where they found a 21-year-old male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. The severity of the wounds required immediate transportation to the hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.
Police said the investigation led to the identification of two suspects, 20-year-old William Ackridge and 21-year-old Qasim Pointer. However, both individuals managed to evade initial attempts to locate them, prompting authorities to enlist media and public assistance.
The suspects faced a litany of felony charges, with attempted murder topping the list.
On August 15 law enforcement apprehended William Ackridge and charged him with:
- Attempted Murder (First Degree)
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
- Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited – Two Counts
- Conspiracy (First Degree)
- Discharging a Firearm on a City Street
Preceding Ackridge’s apprehension, Qasim Pointer was located and arrested by the United States Marshals Service Task Force on August 4. Pointer’s arrest followed a brief foot chase, during which law enforcement discovered a loaded .45 caliber handgun and a significant quantity of marijuana in his possession. The list of charges against Pointer include:
- Attempted Murder (First Degree)
- Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited – Four Counts
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
- Conspiracy (First Degree)
- Resisting Arrest
- Possession of Marijuana
In 2021, Ackridge was involved in a police chase that led to Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) involving multiple injuries in Milford. During this incident, Ackridge’s identity was established through a Probation and Parole GPS ankle monitoring he was wearing at the time police said at the time.
The 2021 incident centered around a stolen vehicle, a black 2017 Toyota Corolla, entering Ocean City via Route 90. Law enforcement’s efforts to stop the vehicle resulted in a high-speed pursuit that culminated in a serious crash in Milford. The collision caused injuries to several individuals, including:
- A 39-year-old operator of a GMC Envoy, who sustained no injuries.
- A 29-year-old female front-seat passenger, who was uninjured.
- A 17-year-old female passenger sitting on the left side of the second row, who was uninjured.
- A 1-year-old female passenger properly restrained in a rear-facing car seat in the right rear passenger seat in the second row, who was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
- A 10-year-old male passenger was initially transported to Bayhealth Sussex Campus before being airlifted to A.I. DuPont where he is listed in critical condition.
- A 6-year-old male passenger was initially transported to Bayhealth Sussex Campus before being airlifted to A.I. DuPont where he is listed in serious condition.
Delaware State Police undertook the investigation into the crash, employing analysis by the Collision Reconstruction Unit. This process eventually led to the identification of Ackridge as the driver of the Toyota Corolla. Information from Probation and Parole, combined with GPS ankle monitoring data and video footage from law enforcement aviation, proved instrumental in confirming Ackridge’s role in the events police said at the time.