DEWEY BEACH, Del. — Dewey Beach police shot and killed a man who was seen leaving a popular bar/restaurant with a gun on Saturday.
It's the latest gun-related incident along Coastal Highway on the Delaware beaches this month, after a fatal shooting at a Rehoboth Beach barearlier this month. A large shooting scene also injured a person outside a Rehoboth bar in November.
Delaware State Police said police chased the suspect, a 21-year-old Milford, Del., man, after employees at The Starboard on Coastal Highway said he left with a gun, at about 1:17 a.m. March 19.
They lost sight of him, but at about 2:23 a.m., a Starboard employee called 911 and said the suspect had returned and was found in a restricted employee-only area of the restaurant.
Two Dewey Beach officers found the suspect in an outdoor tent of the restaurant. The suspect fled again, and an officer fired a single shot at him when the suspect was in a nearby alley. The officer is a 1 1/2-year veteran of the police department.
The suspect was ultimately found behind a commercial building on Coastal Highway, and a handgun was also found at the scene. The suspect was pronounced dead after being taken to Beebe Hospital.
No one else was reported injured. The officer involved in the shooting was placed on standard leave with pay.
Delaware State Police, which is doing the investigation, said: "We recognize this incident is alarming, and we assure you that community safety remains a priority."
Anyone with information about the incident should call Sgt. Stephen Yeich with the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit by calling 302-741-2703. Information may also be provided by sending a Private Facebook Message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at www.delawarecrimestoppers.com
