The Dover Police Department announced on Wednesday, October 21, that it 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 man. WDEL News in Delaware also reported the two arrests in the deadly homecoming-night shooting.

Source: Dover Police Department

Detectives identified a 22-year-old Dover man as one of the suspected shooters and obtained warrants for his arrest and for a search of his home. On October 16, at about 1:10 p.m., Dover police teams — assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service First State Fugitive Task Force and Delaware State Police — arrested him at a residence in the 500 block of Crawford Avenue, where he came out after 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, police said.

An 18-year-old male was identified as the second suspected shooter. On October 21, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force–Salisbury located him at a residence in Snow Hill, Maryland, and took him into custody without incident. He is being held in Maryland pending extradition to Delaware, police said. An earlier version of the police release wrongly gave his age as 17; police corrected it to 18, the same age he was on the night of the shooting.

Murder charges — and names withheld under a new state law

Police said both suspects face the same charges: first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, four counts of first-degree reckless endangering, and carrying a concealed deadly weapon. The department did not release the suspects' names or photographs, citing Delaware's House Bill 59, which took effect on October 21 and limits when law enforcement may release the names and photos of adults charged with a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Oct 10, 9:19 p.m.shooting at Dover Commons, 1200 block of North DuPont Highway
2suspects arrested — Oct 16 in Dover, Oct 21 in Maryland
50+officers from six agencies were working the area that night

The shooting happened as thousands of students and visitors were leaving Delaware State University's homecoming events, which ended at about 6:00 p.m., and crowds gathered at nearby shopping centers. More than 50 officers from the Dover, New Castle County, Wilmington, Smyrna and Camden police departments and Delaware State Police were already in the area managing crowds amid fights and reports of shots fired at several locations, NBC10 Philadelphia reported. Officers who heard the gunfire found the wounded 21-year-old and then Cox; because the Route 13 corridor was gridlocked, officers drove both men to Bayhealth Kent Campus in police vehicles. Cox later died of his injuries, and the 21-year-old was reported stable.

Source: NBC10 Philadelphia

'These arrests reflect the persistence, investigative skill, and professionalism required to bring a complex and challenging case to this stage,' Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson, Jr. said, thanking Delaware State Police and the two U.S. Marshals task forces. '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.' The investigation is ongoing, and police asked anyone with information, photos or video to call the Dover Police Criminal Investigations Unit at 302-736-7111 or Delaware Crime Stoppers.