Two Arrested in Fatal Off-Campus Shooting Following Homecoming Event 10-21-26
NOTICE REGARDING NAMES AND PHOTOGRAPHS: Delaware’s House Bill 59, which went into effect on October 21, 2026, limits law enforcement’s release of names and photographs, including mugshots. For adults charged with a crime, this information may be released only when the charge is a felony and disclosure is necessary to protect public safety. Names and photographs may therefore be omitted from this release to comply with state law. The Dover Police Department remains committed to keeping our community informed within these legal requirements.
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
October 21, 2026 Update:
Note: A previous version of this release identified the suspect arrested on October 21st as a 17-year-old male. This was an unfortunate error; the suspect is 18-years-old and was the same age on the night of the incident.
The Dover Police Department has arrested two male suspects in connection with the October 10 shooting in the Dover Commons shopping center parking lot that killed Nasir Cox, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and injured a 21-year-old male.
During the investigation, detectives identified a 22-year-old male from Dover as one of the suspected shooters and obtained warrants for his arrest and a search of his residence.
On October 16, 2026 at approximately 1:10 p.m., members of the Dover Police Department’s Special Operations Response Team, Drugs, Vice and Organized Crime Unit, and Criminal Investigations Unit responded to a residence in the 500 block of Crawford Avenue. They were assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service First State Fugitive Task Force and Delaware State Police. The suspect exited the residence after the assembled team of officers announced their presence and was taken into custody without incident.
During the search, investigators recovered a 9mm handgun, ammunition, and clothing and accessories matching those worn during the shooting.
Detectives identified a 18-year-old male as the second suspected shooter and obtained an arrest warrant. Information gathered during the investigation indicated that he may be in Sussex County, Delaware or Eastern Maryland.
On October 21, 2026 members of the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force–Salisbury located the juvenile at a residence in Snow Hill, Maryland. He was taken into custody without incident and is being held in Maryland pending extradition to Delaware.
Both suspects face the following charges:
- First-Degree Murder
- Attempted First-Degree Murder
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony — three counts
- First-Degree Reckless Endangering — four counts
- Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon
“These arrests reflect the persistence, investigative skill, and professionalism required to bring a complex and challenging case to this stage,” said Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson, Jr. “Our investigators worked diligently to identify those responsible, develop the evidence, and coordinate apprehensions across jurisdictional boundaries. I am grateful to the Delaware State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service First State Fugitive Task Force, and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force–Salisbury for their invaluable assistance. While these arrests cannot undo the harm inflicted, they represent an important step toward accountability and justice for the victims, their families, and our community.”
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Original 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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