Abu Thomas, 24, a Black male from Wilmington, was shot on the evening of May 23, 2025, near the intersection of West 23rd and Washington Streets in the city’s Hilltop neighborhood. Officers were dispatched at approximately 7:44 p.m. for reports of gunfire and found two men wounded; Thomas was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and later died. A second victim, a 25-year-old man, survived and was listed in stable condition.
In the days that followed, authorities publicly identified the victim as Abu Thomas while confirming the circumstances of the double shooting and Thomas’s death at the hospital. Public memorial listings later noted his full name as Abu Talib Qudir Thomas and recorded his date of death as May 23, 2025.
As investigators canvassed the area and sought tips, Wilmington police did not release information about a motive, a suspect, or suspects. No arrests were announced in the immediate aftermath, and officials asked anyone with knowledge of the case to contact detectives or submit information to Delaware Crime Stoppers.
