4 people shot in Wilmington, Delaware, near home known for drug activity, neighbors say

Four people were hospitalized Tuesday after a shooting in Wilmington, Delaware, police said.

The shooting happened shortly after 6 a.m. near East 10th and Spruce streets, according to Wilmington police. Three men, ages 23, 40 and 49, and a 53-year-old woman were found with gunshot wounds. All four victims were taken to area hospitals and were in stable condition, police said.

No suspect or motive has been announced. Police have not said what led to the shooting.

The shooting prompted a response from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, whose officers were seen in the neighborhood with a canine officer several hours later.

Cheryl Elzy, the property manager of a retirement home across the street from the shooting scene, said she had arrived at work when she heard the gunfire.

"I heard pat, pat, pat, pat like 10 times, and I told the guard it's gunfire," Elzy said.

Elzy is concerned about the safety of residents at the retirement home, particularly because of gunfire she says has occurred near the building in the past.

"I'm really concerned about the residents that live here," Elzy said. "The gunfire that happens outside of the residence, and I don't want them having to come out, and they have to duck gunfire going in and coming out."

Elzy also alleged the home where Tuesday's shooting occurred has been associated with drug activity. She claimed bullets from previous gunfire have struck windows at the retirement home.

"I have gunshot bullets all through my windows here, where gunshots have nicked the strings and things like that," Elzy said. "This is not the first time, not by a long shot."

Wilmington City Councilmember Zanthia Oliver also said she believes the property has been a longstanding problem.

"This issue is ongoing," Oliver said. "It's an active drug house. It's well known. It's out of compliance. You can look at it. You can see it from here. It should be boarded up."

The shooting comes as Wilmington officials address crime trends in the city. According to CompStat data, the city saw increases through the first seven months of 2026 in robberies, aggravated assaults and shooting incidents, especially among juveniles, compared with the same period in 2025.

Wilmington police disputed the characterization of the city's overall crime trends, saying in a statement that while some crime categories have increased slightly this year, the department continues to see sustained reductions compared with crime statistics during the COVID pandemic.

"While we have seen a slight increase in some crime categories so far this year compared with last year, we continue to see significant, sustained reductions in crime -including a 16% reduction in overall Part 1 crimes, a 50% reduction in shootings, a 52% reduction in shooting victims and a 56% reduction in murders compared with 2020, and higher reductions in some categories when compared with other years. Last year, our city recorded the lowest number of shootings since 2003. Still, one incident is too many - and we continue to implement our wide range of proven crime strategies, as well as our efforts to address violent crime and gun violence in our city," said Dr. David Karas, the chief administrative officer for the Wilmington Police Department.

Oliver said she wants increased enforcement and a greater police presence in the neighborhood.

"Where's the police now? L&I should be out here right now," Oliver said. "I mean, it's like they don't really care."

In a statement, the City of Wilmington said the location where the shooting happened is "an area of intense focus for the city and part of our hot-spot approach."

"Enhancing and continuing this work will be done in part by our new Director of Community Safety, John Cook, who started with the Mayor's Office last month," the city said in part in a statement.

The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.