UPDATE: One shot in Officer involved shooting in Dover
Dover Police have confirmed an officer involved shooting that happened on Friday afternoon, injuring one. We’re told police received a tip that a man was in the area of South Governors Avenue and New Street in Dover, and he had a gun. Police responded and that’s when they say they found a man who fit the description of the suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Terrance Fletcher.
Reports say officers approached Fletcher and he took off on foot through an alley way towards Governors Avenue. According to police, Fletcher ran towards officers stationed on that street and a Dover Police officer fired his gun, hitting Fletcher in the thigh. Fletcher was then transported to Kent General Hospital where he was reported to be in good condition. The exact reason that officer fired, is still under investigation.
47 ABC learned Fletcher is now facing charges including Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited. Although Terrence Fletcher appears to still be at the hospital in stable condition, police say he is being held on $20,000 cash bond.
Dover police Chief Paul Barnett says the area is known for violence, and he is very sympathetic and understanding of that, but none of his officers would do anything racially motivated.
Chief Barnett tells 47 ABC, “We’re trying our best to make the citizens here feel safe as possible and we’re going to continue to police this area until we can put a calm on everything.”
Community leaders like Reverend Rita Paige say the fact that the incident happened, took her by surprise.
Paige tells 47 ABC, “It needs to stop. And what impacts one impacts the entire community.”
But despite all the chaos, Reverend Paige says she has faith in the community and believes that they will remain peaceful over this while the investigation continues.
Paige tells 47 ABC, “The people have been working hard and they’ve been working with community to try to make sure that things like this don’t happen again.”
We’re told the officer who shot Fletcher is now on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard policy. No officers were injured. Dover Police Chief Paul M. Barnett said that it was too early in the investigation to know if the Officer, a three year veteran on the Dover PD Street Crimes Unit, felt threatened. “If this officer felt threatened… than I think that he handled it appropriately.”
All Dover Police Officers are issued a Taser, and when asked, the Chief responded with “You use a gun with a gun.”
Dover Police say Street Crimes concentrates in the area, because there are known problems in the area. Two other people were detained and brought back to the station for possible disorderly conduct. Chief said “We don’t know the answers yet, probably won’t until the end of the investigation.”
After the shooting, police say a large crowd formed on South New Street and some community members became hostile towards police officers. We’re told two people were arrested for disorderly conduct, however, police say the rest of the crowd dispersed peacefully.
47 ABC also spoke with another community leader and he tells us on Saturday evening at 6 PM, there will be a community action meeting at the Center of Faith in Dover, a church near where the shooting took place. He says it will serve as a platform to ease the tension in the hopes that no other incidents arise.
