Officials said the suspect was shot by a responding county officer and later died.
WILMINGTON, Del. — Delaware shut down DMV offices statewide after a gunman fatally shot a state trooper Tuesday at a motor-vehicle facility south of Wilmington, authorities said. The suspect, described as a 44-year-old man who entered as a customer, was shot by a New Castle County police officer and also died.
The shooting struck a place where residents routinely go for licenses, titles and registrations, and it left employees and customers caught in a sudden burst of violence during the holiday week. State police said the trooper was working an overtime security assignment at the reception desk when the gunman approached and opened fire. Officials said the trooper’s final actions helped protect others in the lobby, and state leaders quickly moved to honor him, ordering flags lowered at state facilities. Investigators had not released the trooper’s name by late Tuesday, saying it would come after family notifications. The closure of DMV sites underscored how a single incident at a high-traffic public office can ripple across government services in a small state.
Authorities said the gunman arrived at the Wilmington DMV on Hessler Boulevard in New Castle around 2 p.m. and entered like any other customer. Within minutes, state police said, he walked toward the uniformed trooper positioned at the front desk and pulled a handgun. The first shots hit the trooper, investigators said, and the lobby erupted as people ducked, ran or tried to find cover behind counters and chairs. Even after being shot, officials said, the trooper pushed a DMV employee away from the line of fire. The gunman fired again, fatally wounding him, according to state police. Delaware State Police Col. William D. Crotty later told reporters the department had lost “a brother, a son, a best friend, a coach, a husband and a father,” describing the trooper’s actions as those of a hero.
As dispatchers broadcast reports of an active shooter, law enforcement units from multiple agencies rushed to the building, officials said. A New Castle County police officer confronted the gunman inside the DMV and shot him, authorities said, ending the threat before 3 p.m. The trooper and the suspect were transported to local hospitals, where both were pronounced dead, state police said. Corporal Raushan Rich, a state police spokesperson, said the gunman appeared to focus on the trooper, though investigators were still working to confirm the sequence of events and to identify what led up to the attack. Officials did not release the gunman’s name, did not describe how he obtained the weapon, and did not announce a motive. Detectives collected shell casings and other evidence and began reviewing surveillance video, including images from inside the DMV.
The incident also left several people with minor injuries that were not caused by gunfire, officials said, as the rush to escape and the stress of the moment took a toll. State police said a second trooper was evaluated at the scene for a minor injury, and a woman was taken to a hospital for a minor injury. Rich said another woman was evaluated for shortness of breath and declined transport. Officials emphasized that none of those injuries were considered life-threatening. Outside, the response turned the DMV property into a secured scene, with patrol vehicles lining the area and officers controlling traffic near entrances as investigators worked. Customers who had arrived for appointments or walk-in services were diverted, while employees were escorted out in groups once rooms were cleared.
The building where the shooting occurred is referred to by transportation officials as the Karen L. Johnson DMV facility, and it serves a densely populated part of New Castle County close to Wilmington’s southern edge. Delaware’s DMV offices often handle steady foot traffic, and the presence of a trooper or other security personnel is meant to help maintain order in public areas where customers may be frustrated or anxious. Officials said this trooper was working an overtime detail, a common arrangement that places an officer in a public-facing role for extra shifts. Secretary of Transportation Shanté Hastings said more than 50 employees were working during the shooting and called the loss devastating for staff who spend their days assisting the public. In her statement, Hastings said law enforcement’s swift actions prevented additional deaths.
State leaders framed the attack as a direct strike on public safety workers. Gov. Matt Meyer called the shooting “pure evil” during a Tuesday night briefing and said the outcome could have been worse without the officers who moved in quickly. In a joint statement with First Lady Lauren Meyer, Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay and Second Gentleman Olin Gay, the governor’s office said the state was mourning a trooper who “made the ultimate sacrifice” and expressed gratitude to officers and emergency personnel whose quick action helped prevent further harm. Meyer also ordered flags at state buildings and facilities to be flown at half-staff until further notice, a symbolic step that often follows line-of-duty deaths in Delaware. Officials said tributes and formal honors would be announced after the trooper’s family has been fully notified and consulted.
Procedurally, investigators said the case would move through standard steps for an officer-involved shooting and a homicide investigation, with separate reviews focusing on the gunman’s actions and the county officer’s use of force. Authorities said they would examine surveillance video, witness statements and forensic evidence, including ballistics testing, as they work to reconstruct the precise timeline from the moment the gunman entered to the moment he was confronted. Police said the state would also review how security is deployed at DMV sites, including lobby layouts, staffing patterns and communication protocols when an emergency occurs. Officials said the trooper’s name and service history would be released when appropriate and that any potential court filings or formal findings would come after initial investigative steps are completed.
For employees and customers, the most immediate impact was practical and emotional. Delaware’s DMV network provides essential services that affect daily life, from driver’s licenses to vehicle registrations, and closing offices across the state meant appointments were disrupted and walk-in lines vanished overnight. Hastings said the closures were intended to give staff time to grieve, and officials signaled that reopening plans would be communicated as the state stabilizes operations. Crotty said the department was focused on supporting the trooper’s family and fellow troopers, while also pushing the investigation forward. Witnesses described a scene of fear inside the lobby, followed by sharp commands from officers and the relief of being guided to exits once the threat was over.
By Wednesday, officials said the investigation remained active and that the trooper and the suspect were the only two people who died. Authorities said the next milestone would be the release of the trooper’s identity after family notifications and the first public update on investigative findings as evidence processing continues.
Author note: Last updated December 24, 2025.