The involved officer, a 10-year veteran of the Division, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigations.
WILMINGTON, DE (DNTV): New Castle County Police are investigating the shooting death of 22-Year-Old Andrew Edelmann, of New Castle. Edelmann was shot and killed by one of their officers at a 7-11 store in Richardson Park Monday evening.
It’s not the first police-involved shooting by a New Castle County Police officer this year.
The last officer-involved shooting by a New Castle County Police Officer was on January 22, 2023, during a home invasion investigation. That shooting occurred in the unit block of W. Minuit Drive in the Manor Park Community. The officers were dispatched to the home to investigate a home invasion complaint around 1:50 a.m. when two suspects were shot and injured.
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Last year, Delaware saw two officer-involved shootings, one of which was fatal. Here’s what we know about the officer-involved shooting that occurred in Richardson Park:
After receiving a tip about a drug delivery in the Richardson Park community, police say officers responded to the area on Monday March 6, 2023, around 7:30 p.m. to begin a drug investigation and search for the suspect.
According to a news release from New Castle County Police, officers had specific information that Edelmann was going to be delivering a quantity of illegal drugs in the area of Maryland Avenue and East Reamer Avenue. Police say the officers were aware of the vehicle he would be operating and knew he was at a local business to deliver drugs.
When police arrived in the area, the officers located Edelmann inside his vehicle, a Hyundai Santa Fe, in the parking lot of the 7-11 convenience store on Maryland Avenue and attempted to stop and detain him pursuant to the active drug investigation. However, police say when officers attempted to apprehend Edelmann, he ignored their commands.
“As Edelmann attempted to evade apprehension, he accelerated his vehicle and drove in the direction of officers.” Said police spokeswoman Tracey Duffy. “An officer in close proximity to the Santa Fe, discharged their weapon striking both Edelmann and a 21-year-old female passenger.”
Tracey added, “Edelmann and the female passenger were both transported to Christiana Hospital where Edelmann was pronounced deceased. The 21-year-old female passenger remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.”
According to police, the officers recovered illegal drugs from inside of the vehicle and a loaded assault style rifle from the driver’s side floorboard.
This incident is being investigated by the New Castle County Division of Police Criminal Investigations Unit, the Division’s Professional Standards Unit, and the Delaware Department of Justice, Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust.
The involved officer, a 10-year veteran of the Division, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigations.
The investigations are still in the preliminary stages and remains active and ongoing. Any individual with information or video related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Lieutenant Justin Breslin of the Criminal Investigations Unit at (302) 395-8110 or by email at Justin.Breslin@newcastlede.gov. Information can also be submitted by calling the New Castle County Division of Police non-emergency number at (302) 573-2800.
