DSU student dead after Sunday party, police: “We continue to see gun violence at parties like this”

DOVER, Del. – Police are investigating the second party this month, involving Delaware State University students, that’s now at the center of a shooting investigation. This time, police say hundreds of people were in attendance when one student was killed and another person was injured.

The deadly party apparently happened at the pavilion in Schutte Park, which is owned by the city. There’s not much else around the area and the road is even set pretty far back. Police say this type of secluded location likely helped this party go undetected until shots rang out.

“When we arrived there were several hundred people leaving the scene of what appeared to be in unsanctioned college party,” says Sgt. Mark Hoffman with the Dover Police Department. “One was shot in his head and died of his injuries later on and the second victim was struck in the shoulder and hand.”

Twenty-year old Devin Wright is the Delaware State University student who was killed. A spokesperson for the university says,. “DSU is profoundly saddened and troubled by the tragic death of Devin Wright and the event in connection with it. The University is working very hard to gather information around the incident.”

However the University did not comment on the fact that this is the second party involving students this month where a shooting took place. The first one happened on September 8 at Dover Park. “Even though they are not authorized these parties continue to occur and the larger issue of gun violence and fighting continues to occur at them so we need to resolve these issues immediately,” says Sgt. Hoffman.

While the park is pretty secluded, police believe the sheer number of people in attendance many of whom they say were DSU students may help their investigation.

“We are still searching for suspect information we know there were several hundred people attending that party so we know that somebody saw some thing any little bit of information can be very beneficial to our investigation. It’s important that we get these people off the streets because we continue to see gun violence at parties like this,” says Sgt. Hoffman.

47 ABC also reached out to Delaware’s Division of Public Health and asked them if they will be encouraging those who attended to get tested for coronavirus. They say they will need to collect more information regarding the circumstances before any public health recommendations can be made.

If you have any information that may help with this investigation, you’re asked to call the Dover Police Department at 302-736-7130. Callers may remain anonymous.