Officials say the 44-year-old attacker ambushed a trooper working an overtime post at the front desk before a responding officer shot the suspect.
WILMINGTON, DE — A Delaware State Police trooper was shot and killed Tuesday inside the state Division of Motor Vehicles office on Hessler Boulevard in New Castle County, and the gunman also died after a responding officer opened fire, authorities said. The attack began around 2 p.m. inside the reception area, and the immediate threat was over before 3 p.m., according to state police.
State officials said the shooting unfolded at the Greater Wilmington DMV while the trooper was posted at the front desk on an overtime assignment. Investigators said a 44-year-old man entered the building as a customer, walked up to the desk and fired at close range. The trooper pushed a nearby DMV employee out of the line of fire before being shot a second time. The wounded trooper and the shooter were taken to a hospital, where both died. The state closed DMV offices statewide for the rest of the day while police secured the site and interviewed dozens of witnesses.
Witness accounts and initial statements from law enforcement outlined a swift response as customers and employees scrambled for cover. Delaware State Police said a New Castle County police officer encountered the gunman moments after the first shots and shot him inside the building. Colonel William D. Crotty, the superintendent of the Delaware State Police, said the fallen trooper’s “last actions were that of a hero” who saved lives by moving an employee to safety. Governor Matt Meyer called the attack “an act of pure evil” and praised the officers who ran toward the sound of gunfire. A second trooper and a woman sustained minor injuries that were not caused by gunfire, officials said. The names of the trooper and the gunman were not released pending family notification and investigative steps.
Authorities said the gunman entered the Hessler Boulevard office as a customer before the ambush, but they did not immediately describe a motive. The DMV lobby and service counters were crowded with midafternoon visitors when the shooting started, witnesses said, and personal items were left scattered on the floor after people fled. The Division of Motor Vehicles said it closed all locations temporarily while police processed the scene and gathered statements. Investigators emphasized that there was no ongoing threat once officers secured the building and that the situation was contained to the Wilmington site.
The shooting is being investigated by Delaware State Police in coordination with the Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust, which routinely reviews police use of force incidents. New Castle County police said their internal procedures require administrative leave and a separate administrative review for officers involved in shootings. Autopsies will be conducted by the Division of Forensic Science. Officials said evidence technicians collected shell casings, surveillance video from the lobby, radio traffic and 911 recordings, and they plan to map the bullet paths inside the front reception area. Detectives are also reviewing entry logs and customer numbers to build a timeline and to identify everyone present during the attack.
Tuesday’s killing is the most serious on-duty death for Delaware State Police since the 2017 slaying of Cpl. Stephen J. Ballard in Bear, a case that prompted a review of officer safety practices at public venues. The Wilmington DMV sits in a busy commercial corridor near Route 13 and Route 1 and typically draws hundreds of visitors on weekdays. Troopers frequently provide security and traffic control at state facilities, including DMV sites and courthouses. Officials said the agency would assess staffing and physical security at customer counters and lobbies as part of the after-action review. The DMV noted that many services can be completed online, but the agency relies on in-person appointments for licensing and identification services, which keep lobby areas active throughout the day.
Investigators said they are working to learn more about the gunman, including his recent movements and whether he had prior contact with law enforcement. Detectives are seeking search warrants for digital devices, vehicles and any residences tied to the suspect to look for writings or messages that could explain the attack. Police said they would release the names of the trooper and the suspect once next of kin are reached and preliminary findings are complete. Officials expect to provide an additional briefing after crime scene processing and forensic reviews, including trajectory analysis and examination of the handgun recovered at the desk area. The Department of Justice will later issue a public report on the responding officer’s use of force, which is standard practice in Delaware.
As evening fell, flowers and small flags appeared near the DMV entrance while crime scene tape remained across the lobby doors. Customers who had sheltered inside waited to be escorted out in groups by officers. “We lost a brother, a son, a best friend, a coach, a husband and a father,” Crotty said, describing the trooper’s service to the department. A state employee who asked not to be named said staff followed active threat training to lock interior doors and move people away from windows. Governor Meyer said counselors would be available for affected employees and that the state would share memorial information once the trooper’s family is ready.
As of late Tuesday, police said the scene remained under control and that further updates would come after evidence collection and family notifications. The next briefing is expected once detectives finalize the initial timeline and the medical examiner confirms identities and causes of death.
Author note: Last updated December 23, 2025.