NEWARK, DE – A murder-suicide unfolded in Newark, Delaware early on Thursday morning. The incident resulted in two fatalities and one injury. The New Castle County police reported that a murder-suicide took place in the Newark Oaks neighborhood on Leader Drive.
The incident began when a 34-year-old man returned to his residence. He encountered a 31-year-old woman, who also lived in the house, and her 34-year-old male guest. The police revealed that the homeowner and the woman had a strained relationship, though they did not elaborate on the specifics.
The situation escalated when the homeowner produced a handgun and shot at both the woman and her guest. The guest, also 34, managed to survive the attack and alerted the police, while the armed homeowner remained inside the property. Police arrived on the scene around 12:43 a.m.
Upon their arrival, the officers spotted the armed homeowner through a window, brandishing his weapon. A gunfire exchange ensued between one of the officers and the homeowner, though the officer was unharmed. It is still unclear whether the homeowner was injured during this exchange.
Several specialized police units, including the Division of Police Crisis Management Group, Special Weapons and Tactics Team, Crisis Negotiation Team, and the Explosives Ordinance Disposal team, were dispatched to the scene. The SWAT team eventually entered the house.
The 34-year-old guest was transported to a hospital and is currently in stable condition. The woman, however, was declared dead at the scene. The Crisis Negotiation Team was unable to establish contact with the armed homeowner, who was later found dead inside the house from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The police have not disclosed the identities of the homeowner and the female victim.