Just more than a year after a WSFS bank executive was killed by a stray bullet as she drove home from work, Wilmington police appear no closer to solving the homicide.
Carrie Mondell, senior vice president and director of operational risk management at WSFS, was fatally shot Aug. 16, 2022, just minutes after leaving work. It took six days, however, for city police to identify Mondell and release details on the indiscriminate shooting that occurred while the Wilmington area hosted Delaware’s first-ever PGA Tour event.
A year later, police have nothing new to share about the shooting, which occurred in the 600 block of N. Washington St. during rush hour.
The 37-year-old was one of two shooting victims that day – a 22-year-old man also was shot shortly before 5 p.m. in the 700 block of N. Washington St., according to Wilmington police. He survived.
Wilmington police spokesman David Karas said detectives continue to work the cases but did not provide additional information.
“While we are limited in what we can release publicly about leads or progress made in the case in order to avoid jeopardizing our efforts, we do encourage anyone with information to contact Detective Brianna Rodrigues at 302-576-3971,” he said in an emailed response to Delaware Online/The News Journal questions.
FEW DETAILS RELEASED:Did Wilmington hold back details of homicides during PGA Tour event?
Though Mondell’s death shocked her colleagues, those who commute to and from Wilmington for work daily, and even some locals, her death is far from Wilmington’s only unsolved homicide. And her case − being hit by stray bullets while driving through the city − isn’t exactly an anomaly.
Just last week, a 47-year-old woman who was driving on Lancaster Avenue after picking up her dog was struck by a bullet meant for someone else. She didn’t initially realize she was shot, court documents say, telling police that she heard a bang and then felt pain in her arm.
RECENT SHOOTING:The bullets were meant for him. Instead, an ‘innocent’ woman was shot in Wilmington
She drove about a block and a half away to Cab Calloway School of the Arts, where several women at the school provided first aid until paramedics arrived. The woman is recovering, and earlier this week, police arrested the man they say is responsible.
As questions remain surrounding Mondell’s killing, here’s how Delaware’s largest city is faring.
Wilmington, Dover homicides
So far this year in Wilmington, eight people have been killed by gunfire, according to Delaware Online/The News Journal’s database. That’s about 33% fewer shooting homicides than this same time last year, which had recorded 12 people fatally shot.
Comparatively, Dover − the state’s second-largest city − hasn’t recorded any fatal shootings this year.
While Wilmington police have made arrests in only one of this year’s fatal shootings, that doesn’t mean detectives don’t have strong leads in other cases.
Last year in Wilmington, 18 people were fatally shot, and police have made arrests in five of those cases, for a clearance rate of about 39%. (That includes one murder-suicide, bringing the total number of solved shooting fatalities to seven.)
In Dover last year, three people were killed by gunfire, and detectives have made arrests in two out of those three cases.
INITIAL STORY:Wilmington bank vice president dies days after being struck by stray bullet
Wilmington homicides this year:
- Katelyn Nance, 35, killed on Aug. 2 − no arrests made
- Aaron Reid, 44, killed on July 11 − no arrests made
- Jehovah Clark, 20, killed on July 4 − no arrests made
- Dennis Davis, 37, killed on June 11 − arrest made
- Thaddeus Blackman, 35, killed on May 9 − no arrests made
- Antwine Potts, 47, killed on May 6 − no arrests made
- Danielle Hallmon, 29, killed on Feb. 4 − no arrests made
- Antoine Caceres, 34, killed on Feb. 1 − no arrests made
Wilmington homicides in 2022:
- Lerrie Tate, 44, killed on Dec. 1 − arrests made
- Benja Daniels, 46, and Michael Bowles, 52, killed on Nov. 18 in apparent murder-suicide
- Frank Carter, 27, killed on Oct. 9 − no arrests made
- Za’Quan Blackwell, 19, killed on Sept. 14 − arrests made
- Lamar Washington, 30, killed on Sept. 13 − arrest made
- Braylen Johnson, 14, killed on Aug. 20 − no arrests made
- Carrie Mondell, 37, killed on Aug. 16 − no arrests made
- Marell Lowe, 19, killed on Aug. 14 − arrests made
- Darnashia Green, 20, killed on Aug. 7 − no arrests made
- Michael Wright, 57, killed on July 5 − no arrests made
- Ronald Wallace, 43, killed on May 9 − no arrest made
- Uquan Davis, 20, killed on May 5 − arrest made
- Bilal Byrd, 27, killed on March 22 − no arrests made
- Sarpee Collins, 24, killed on March 16 − no arrests made
- Rasheed White, 41, killed on Feb. 25− no arrests made
- Jermaine Meadows, 23, killed on Feb. 21 − no arrests made
- Derek Brown, 21, killed on Feb. 15 − no arrests made
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_
