Dover Police Investigating Fatal Shooting Amid Off-Campus Crowds Following DSU Homecoming Events 10-11-26
Incident Number: 50-26-36238
Date/Time: Saturday, October 10th, 2026 at approximately 9:19 P.M.
Location: Parking Lot of Dover Commons Shopping Center,
1200 Block of North DuPont Highway, Dover, DE
Contact: Dover Police Department Public Information Officer
Lieutenant Mark Hoffman Email: Mark.Hoffman@cj.state.de.us
Narrative:
The Dover Police Department is investigating a shooting that left one male deceased and another injured Saturday night in the Dover Commons shopping center parking lot located in the 1200 Block of North DuPont Highway.
Prior to the shooting, thousands of students and visitors attending Delaware State University’s homecoming events were required to end events and leave campus at approximately 6:00 P.M., resulting in large crowds gathering at several nearby shopping centers and other locations. At the time of the shooting, more than 50 officers from the Dover, New Castle County, Wilmington, Smyrna, and Camden police departments, along with Delaware State Police, were already working in the area to manage crowds and respond to large disturbances that included multiple fights, calls for disorderly behavior, and for shots fired at multiple locations.
At approximately 9:19 p.m., officers attempting to control crowds in a nearby parking lot heard several gunshots and observed people running from the Dover Commons shopping center parking lot. Officers responded and located a 21-year-old male suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. While rendering aid, officers located a second victim, later identified as Nasir Cox, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was also suffering from gunshot wounds.
The Route 13 corridor between Delaware State University and several nearby shopping centers was completely gridlocked with vehicle and pedestrian traffic, which would have delayed emergency medical response. To give both victims the best chance of survival, officers immediately transported them to Bayhealth Kent Campus in police vehicles. Cox later died from his injuries. The 21-year-old male remains hospitalized and is stable at this time.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information or photographs or videos from the area around the time of the shooting is asked to contact the Dover Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit at 302-736-7111. Tips may also be submitted through Delaware Crime Stoppers or the Dover Police Department’s online contact form. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
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