Dover Police Investigate Officer-Involved Firearms Discharge
Incident Number: 50-23-26308
Date/Time: Monday, July 22nd, 2024 at 2:21 p.m.
Location: Sleep Inn, 1784 North DuPont Highway, Dover, DE
Contact: Dover Police Department Public Information Officer
Master Corporal Ryan Schmid Email: Ryan.Schmid@cj.state.de.us
Narrative:
UPDATE 07/24/2024 – Millard Richardson was processed and arraigned yesterday, 07/23/2024, after being released from Bayhealth Kent Campus. He was released after posting $49,000 secured bail on the following charges:
–Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
-Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited (3x)
-Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
-Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon
-Criminal Mischief Over $1,000 but Less than $5,000
-Resisting Arrest
-Possession of a Controlled Substance
-Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Smyrna, DE
**ORIGIAL RELEASE**
The Dover Police Department is investigating an Officer-involved firearms discharge that occurred Monday afternoon during an arrest. The investigation began on Monday, July 22nd, 2024, at 2:21 p.m., when members of the Dover Police Department’s Special Operations Response Team were attempting to contact Millard Richardson, 22, of Smyrna, inside of a vehicle in the parking lot of the Sleep Inn Hotel. Officers were attempting to arrest Richardson as the result of a firearm and gang investigation and had information that he currently had a firearm, which he is prohibited from possessing.
When Officers contacted him, he attempted to drive away, causing his vehicle to hit a Dover Police vehicle. After causing the collision, Richardson continued to refuse to exit his vehicle. Officers broke the driver-side window to gain access to the car and due to the vehicle having dark window tint. During this time, a departmentally issued rifle discharged. Richardson and an Officer both sustained injuries to their hands during this incident. Richardson was taken into custody without further incident and transported to Bayhealth Kent Campus for treatment. The Officer involved was also transported to Bayhealth Kent Campus and was treated and released.
The exact cause of the injury to Richardson and the cause of the firearms discharge is currently under investigation by the Dover Police Criminal Investigations Unit and the Delaware Department of Justice – Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust.
There were two other individuals in the vehicle at the time of this incident; a 24-year-old male from Dover and a 21-year-old male of Smyrna. Both were uninjured.
Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on the vehicle that Richardson was operating. Detectives located the following items as a result of the search:
-A loaded Black Polymer 80 .40 caliber handgun which was concealed between the driver’s seat and center console of the vehicle
-Over $1,000
-219.6 grams of marijuana
-56.7 grams of THC Wax
-7 Grams of marijuana edibles and oils
-A digital scale and other drug paraphernalia
-15.5 doses of Xanax
Once Richardson is released from Bayhealth Kent Campus he will be charged with the following:
-Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
-Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited (3x)
-Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
-Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon
-Criminal Mischief Over $1,000 but Less than $5,000
-Resisting Arrest
-Possession of a Controlled Substance
-Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
The Officer involved in the incident is a 2 ½ year veteran of the Dover Police Department and is a member of the Patrol Division. Consistent with standard policy, the Officer has been placed on administrative leave, with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation. As previously stated, the Dover Police Department will continue to investigate this incident in coordination with the Delaware Department of Justice – Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust and will provide additional details as they become available.
Media should direct questions to M/Cpl Ryan Schmid via email at ryan.schmid@cj.state.de.us
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