On Sunday evening, at 7:00 p.m., patrol officers from the New Castle County Division of Police were dispatched to the 100 block of Phyllis Drive, in the community of Newkirk Estates regarding a physical altercation.
When the officers arrived, they observed the suspect, 30-year-old Austyn Wehry in a physical altercation outside with a 29-year-old female police said. Austyn Wehry then fled into his residence, when the Officer heard gunshots coming from inside the residence.
Officers then began interviewing family members, when they learned that Austyn Wehry had ingested an unknown edible substance, which caused him to have an altered mental status and become physically aggressive towards family members according to police. Officers were then told that remaining inside the residence was a juvenile family member and before the police arrived, Austyn Wehry was also involved in a physical altercation with a 59-year-old female police said.
During this incident, a shelter-in-place order was given to the neighborhood via a Reverse 911 as Austyn Wehry barricaded himself inside the residence.
The New Castle County Division of Police then activated their Crisis Management Group, which then responded to the scene.
At approximately 8:50 p.m., the juvenile was able to exit the residence safely and was unharmed.
Austyn Wehry was then taken into custody at approximately 11:05 p.m., and then transported to the New Castle County Police headquarters, and was charged with Three felony counts of Reckless endangering first degree, One felony count of Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, One felony count of Kidnapping second degree, One felony count of Criminal solicitation first degree. and Two misdemeanor counts of offensive touching.
He was arraigned at the Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institution after failing to pay $41,000.00 cash bail.
Breaking Report
Officers from the New Castle County Division of Police, along with other law enforcement agencies, responded to a situation at a residence in the 100 block of Phyllis Drive in Newark on Easter Sunday.
Upon arrival shortly after 7 PM,, the police established a perimeter around the home in question, following reports of the incident.
The law enforcement response included the deployment of SWAT teams to the scene, and Delaware State Police Aviation’s, Trooper 4 helicopter was reported to have been present overhead for much of the evening. While initial reports suggested that at least one child was inside the home at the time of the incident, they were later reportedly out of the house leaving a male barricaded inside.
The situation continued into the late hours, with officers and SWAT team members on-site. Details regarding the resolution of the barricade situation, including whether the individual surrendered or was apprehended by law enforcement, have not been released.
Separately, there was activity noted at Christiana Hospital around the same time as the incident was clearing up, though its connection to the events on Phyllis Drive is unclear.
Initial reports that a firearm was discharged, have not been confirmed by police.
In a social media update on the evening of March 31, the New Castle County Police stated: “POLICE ACTIVITY IN NEWKIRK ESTATES. UPDATE: The New Castle County Police are clearing the scene on Phyllis Drive, assuring there is no threat to the public, and it is safe to resume normal activities. Detectives from the New Castle County Division of Police have assumed the investigation, and further updates will be forthcoming.“