Christopher Smith, a 14-year-old Black/African American male, was shot on the evening of June 22, 2021, in Wilmington, Delaware, in a burst of violence that unfolded just before 6 p.m. on the 500 block of West 35th Street. Wilmington police reported that officers found him suffering from gunshot wounds after responding to the scene at about 5:56 p.m.
He was rushed to a hospital, but he did not survive his injuries.
The killing landed heavily in the neighborhood because Christopher was still a child, and residents described him as being out on his bike before the shooting. The block where he was shot became the center of grief and fear, another place in Wilmington marked by gunfire during a year in which the city was already struggling with repeated shootings. Reports at the time noted that he was one of several teenagers shot in Wilmington that month, and his death added to the city's rising number of fatal shootings in 2021.
In the hours after Christopher's death, the pain around the case spread beyond the crime scene. Pastor Derrick Johnson, who knew Christopher, spoke publicly about being disturbed by what young people were showing him online. He said he received calls pointing him to social media posts where some teenagers were celebrating Christopher's death, while others were vowing revenge. Johnson described the reaction as part of a dangerous cycle tied to youth violence and gang culture, suggesting that the shooting was not only a homicide but also a flashpoint for more possible retaliation.
Police did not immediately release many investigative details. Early reporting said the Wilmington Police Department declined to provide additional information about the incident, including what may have led to the shooting or whether detectives had identified a motive. The public record available from online sources does not name a suspect, describe a suspect vehicle in official reporting, or identify any person charged in connection with Christopher's death.
As of the available online reporting reviewed, no arrest was reported in Christopher Smith's killing. CBS Philadelphia reported the day after the shooting that police had not made any arrests. No later online source reviewed showed a named suspect, filed charges, trial, plea, or conviction connected to the case, leaving Christopher's death publicly unresolved.
