Three people were injured Wednesday afternoon after being shot outside a corner store near Wilmington’s Eastlake neighborhood, marking the city’s first shooting of 2022.
The incident occurred just before 2:45 p.m. outside Richardson Grocery, located at the corner of North Locust Street and Vandever Avenue.
When police arrived, they found a 25-year-old man, a 27-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman injured.
Eight evidence markers showed where gun shell casings landed on North Locust Street, across from the corner store. A Wilmington police detective could be seen picking up the casings and placing them into small Manila envelopes.
Police said the 25-year-old and 49-year-old were taken to the hospital by ambulance and listed as “stable,” while the 27-year-old was flown to the hospital. He was listed in critical condition.
Neighbors did not want to speak with reporters, though looked on from inside the front doors of their homes. Others gathered on the street, eyeing the scene Wednesday afternoon.
MORE TO READ:Shooting in Wilmington’s Southbridge neighborhood injures 2 men Wednesday afternoon
Detectives focused much of their attention on a small, red car parked on North Locust Street, at one point using a brush to dust the car’s windshield, windows and hood for fingerprints or other pieces of evidence.
The eight shell casings were clustered near the car in a line leading toward Richardson Grocery. One of the store’s glass doors had been shattered by a bullet, leaving a pile of blueish-white glass on the pavement.
The shooting marks the second of the day in New Castle County.
Around 10:45 a.m., Middletown police were called to the unit block of Liborio Drive for reports of a shooting, the department said. There, officers found the victim injured.
Paramedics took the victim, a 47-year-old woman, to the hospital, where she were listed as “stable.” According to emergency personnel radio communications, a suspect car fled the scene but was later stopped.
Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on Twitter at @izzihughes_
