What happened at the Delaware DMV? Everything we know about the shooting that left a police officer and a suspect dead

A tragic incident rocked the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) facility near Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday. Authorities reported that a Delaware State Police trooper died after being attacked by a gunman. In a final act of duty, the wounded officer managed to pull an employee to safety before succumbing to his injuries. The attacker was also killed after being neutralized by a local officer.

Details of the Delaware DMV shooting

The incident occurred around 2:00 pm at the facility on Hessler Boulevard in Minquadale. According to Delaware State Police, the suspect—a 44-year-old man whose identity has not yet been released—entered the building as a regular customer.

Shortly after entering, the individual approached an officer who was working an extra shift at the front desk and fired at the officer.

Despite taking the first hit, the officer reacted to protect those present. Authorities highlighted the following points about the uniformed officer's actions:

Both the officer and the attacker were transported to a nearby hospital, where they were later certified deceased.

Reactions from authorities and condition of the victims

At a press conference Tuesday night, state police Col. William D. Crotty mourned the loss of the officer: "We lost a brother, a son, a best friend, a coach, a husband and a father. His last actions were that of a hero, a hero who saved lives today while sacrificing his own."

For his part, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer called the event an "act of pure evil" and stressed that the quick intervention of other officers prevented a greater tragedy.

Regarding the rest of those involved, the following affectations were reported: