A Black or African American male, age 23, Schweitzer Dessin of Seaford, Delaware, fell victim to a tragic and violent end on March 12, 2025. At approximately 4:24 p.m., officers from the Seaford Police Department and Delaware State Police responded to reports of gunfire at Nutter Park, located at 712 Collins Avenue in Seaford. Arriving at the scene, they discovered the 23-year-old suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts, he was rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries later that day.
The shooting unfolded during what witnesses described as a large altercation. Amid the chaos, unidentified individuals unleashed a barrage of gunfire amid a crowd that had gathered at the park. Alongside the 23-year-old who would later perish, three other males were struck—two young men, age 19 and 21, transported themselves to area hospitals with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, and another 23-year-old also sought treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.
As the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit took charge of the investigation, the community was left in shock that a routine afternoon at a neighborhood park had escalated into such devastating violence. Details remained sparse in the immediate aftermath, but it was clear that multiple suspects were involved and that a broader probe was urgently underway.
In the days that followed, investigators identified a suspect: 23-year-old Johnathan Dugazon, also of Seaford. On March 24, 2025, law enforcement apprehended him without incident. He was taken into custody at Troop 5 and faced an array of serious charges: first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, five counts of possession of a firearm or destructive weapon by a person previously convicted of a violent felony, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, three counts of first-degree reckless endangering, and two counts of noncompliance with conditions of recognizance bond or conditions. He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a staggering $2,156,000 cash bond.
Further arrests followed. On March 25, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence on South Market Street in Blades, Delaware. They arrested 22-year-old Jamal Riddick and 20-year-old Dimere Riddick, both of whom were implicated in the deadly events at the park. Jamal Riddick was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony first-degree reckless endangering and carrying a concealed deadly weapon. He was arraigned and held at Sussex Correctional Institution on a bond of $1,340,000. Dimere Riddick was charged with possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, two counts of possession of ammunition by a person prohibited, and possession of a high-capacity magazine during the commission of a felony. He was held on an $80,000 secured bond.
Thus, in the days following the fatal shooting that claimed the life of the 23-year-old male at Nutter Park, investigators arrested three individuals—Johnathan Dugazon, Jamal Riddick, and Dimere Riddick—each facing serious felony charges tied to the violence that erupted on that ill-fated afternoon. The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit continues to pursue the investigation, urging anyone with information to come forward to Detective A. Bluto or Delaware Crime Stoppers.
What began as a gathering in a park on March 12, 2025, turned into a harrowing episode: a life cut short, wounds inflicted upon others, and a community rattled into action. The meticulous work of investigators has led to multiple arrests, with each suspect now facing charges that reflect the gravity of the day's violence.
