A university student was among those hospitalized, while a 16-year-old shooting victim faces firearms charges discovered during the investigation.
NEWARK, Del. — Six people were wounded when gunfire broke out during a large Halloween night gathering on East Main Street near the University of Delaware, leaving one 15-year-old in critical condition and prompting an investigation that remained active Sunday.
Newark police said the shooting happened at about 11:13 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, on the south sidewalk of East Main Street across from Choate Street. All six victims were taken to hospitals. Police later confirmed that a 20-year-old University of Delaware student was among those wounded. Investigators had not publicly identified the person or people responsible for the shooting or announced what led to the gunfire as of Sunday night.
The six victims ranged in age from 15 to 21, according to a Sunday evening update from the Newark Police Department. A 19-year-old man who was shot in the back remained hospitalized in serious condition. The 20-year-old university student suffered a gunshot wound to his back that caused a collapsed lung and also remained in serious condition. A 21-year-old woman suffered a graze wound to her leg and was treated and released.
Two 15-year-old boys were also wounded. One was shot in the back and remained hospitalized in critical condition, while the other was shot in the foot and was listed in serious condition. A 16-year-old boy from Wilmington suffered multiple gunshot wounds and remained hospitalized in serious condition, police said.
Police said officers found the 16-year-old with a loaded firearm during their investigation. Authorities obtained an arrest warrant charging him with possession of a firearm by a person under 21, carrying a concealed deadly weapon and breach of release. He was arraigned by a judge and given $60,100 cash bail. Police said he remained hospitalized in their custody. Authorities have not said that the charges establish who fired the shots that wounded the six people, and the broader shooting investigation remains open.
The shooting occurred during a large gathering in an area of downtown Newark that was crowded for Halloween. Video from the area showed people fleeing as law enforcement officers moved toward the scene. Police initially said there did not appear to be an ongoing threat to the public. Main Street was closed for about five hours between South Chapel and Haines streets while investigators processed the area.
The University of Delaware issued an emergency alert shortly after the shooting and advised members of the campus community to avoid the area. University police assisted other agencies during the response. The shooting occurred adjacent to the university rather than on the campus itself, and Newark police are leading the investigation.
University officials later canceled all classes for Monday, Nov. 2, including virtual classes. The university said the cancellation was intended to give students, faculty and staff time to process the shooting and was not prompted by an ongoing safety threat. University President Laura Carlson and Vice President for Student Life Jose Riera told families that the university would continue providing confirmed information as it became available.
The Newark shooting was among several violent incidents reported across the United States during Halloween weekend. Separate shootings left people dead or injured in cities including Dallas, Birmingham, Alabama, Bloomington, Illinois, and Boulder, Colorado. Authorities have not indicated that those cases were connected to the Newark shooting.
Newark police said detectives continued working to determine the circumstances surrounding the gunfire. Investigators asked people who recorded photographs or video near East Main and Choate streets to provide the material to police. No motive had been announced, and police had not publicly identified a suspected shooter as of the latest department update Sunday evening.
Author note: Last updated November 1, 2026.