Homicide, officer-involved shooting at Dover senior living facility under investigation
6/6 UPDATE: Police have released the identities of the victim and suspect in this incident.
The victim was identified as 59-year-old William Whitehead of Frederica, and the suspect was identified as 51-year-old Arnold Azamar of Camden.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
DOVER, Del. – An investigation is underway following a homicide and officer-involved shooting that left two dead in Dover Tuesday evening.
Just before 5:30 p.m., troopers were called to Harmony at Kent Senior Living Center for a report of a trespassing incident that escalated to a shooting. Police say the suspect, a 51-year-old Camden man, was on the property visiting a female relative after previously being banned from the facility for aggressive behavior. The suspect, accompanied by his relative, was reportedly escorted out of the building by a 59-year-old staff member, whom he allegedly punched as he left the building. The suspect then ran to his vehicle and retrieved a handgun, firing one shot into a male relative’s vehicle as they drove through the facility’s parking lot before shooting the 59-year-old staff member.
The suspect then reportedly stayed by his vehicle as troopers and officers from Probation and Parole, Wyoming Police Department, and Dover Police Department arrived at the scene. Troopers tried negotiating with the suspect, but he reportedly walked away from his vehicle and raised the handgun, prompting two troopers to discharge their divisional-issued firearms at him.
Troopers rendered first aid to the suspect and staff member until they were taken to a nearby hospital by EMS, where they were both pronounced dead. No one else was injured.
Per Delaware State Police standard operating procedures, the involved troopers have been placed on administrative leave pending a use of force investigation.
