Local elementary school closes amid murder investigation
DOVER, Del. – Students at Towne Point Elementary School in Dover are staying home Wednesday after a fatal shooting happened on school grounds late Tuesday night.
M/Cpl. Mark Hoffman of Dover PD says, “Just before 10 p.m. our officers at the Dover Police Department responded to a call at Towne Point Elementary School for reports of shots fired and a subject down.”
That’s when officers found the body of 39-year-old Derrick Combs lifeless and riddled with bullet holes.
Police say the murder has nothing to do with the school, but that doesn’t mean that Capital School District Superintendent Dr. Dan Shelton is taking this situation lightly.
“We decided based on the potential concerns within the community as well as making sure we have an abundance of caution at all times to keep kids home today, allow teachers to come in and prepare for their arrival tomorrow.”
The Dover Police Department believes that Combs was the target and while they are never surprised, investigators are a little stunned that it happened in a neighborhood that is usually quiet and safe.
Hoffman adding, “This is a bit of a surprise for it to occur especially where it occurred at. It’s a very nice neighborhood not too many problems there, not anything we don’t see certainly in other neighborhoods that are similar in nature to that neighborhood.”
Shelton says he’s never experienced something like this before nor has the staff or the community, which is why the school is making sure the nearly 300 kids that go here are safe.
“When we talk about staying home we’re talking about the social emotional aspect of kids. We need to make sure we’re not just teaching the academics but we need to be reaching the inside of the child,” explains Shelton.
Police are investigating a person of interest, but at this time no one is in custody. School officials tell us school will be up and running again Thursday morning.
Since this is an ongoing investigation, we will continue to provide updates as they become available.
For previous coverage on this story: click here.
