In the spring of 2015, the life of 19-year-old Raekwon Mangrum, a Black / African American male, was cut short in a burst of gunfire. On an April evening, Mangrum was outside a home on North Monroe Street in Wilmington, Delaware, when he was shot multiple times. The attack was sudden and violent, leaving him with fatal injuries. An 18-year-old woman who was with him at the time was also wounded in the leg, a survivor of the tragic event that claimed Mangrum's life.
The immediate
aftermath of the shooting was a high-speed chase as Wilmington Police pursued the getaway car. The chase tore through city streets and onto Interstate 95, eventually crossing state lines into Pennsylvania. With the assistance of Pennsylvania law enforcement, including State Police and officers from Ridley Township, the pursuit came to an end. The two occupants of the vehicle, Atiba Mayfield and Michael Broomer, were apprehended.
The investigation that followed revealed the roles each man played in the death of Raekwon Mangrum. Atiba Mayfield, 22 years old at the time, was identified as the gunman. His accomplice, 21-year-old Michael Broomer, was the driver of the vehicle used to flee the scene. Both men were brought to justice for their parts in the crime.
In June of the following year, a New Castle County Superior Court jury found Atiba Mayfield guilty of Murder in the First Degree, two counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Conspiracy in the First Degree, and Reckless Endangering in the First Degree. As the shooter, he faced a sentence of life in prison. Two months later, in August, Michael Broomer was also convicted. His charges included Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and one count of Reckless Endangering in the First Degree. For his role as the driver, Broomer faced a sentence of 21 years to life in prison.
