Devin Wright, a 20-year-old Black / African American male and Delaware State University student, was killed on the night of September 27, 2020, after gunfire broke out during a large off-campus gathering at Schutte Park on Electric Avenue in Dover, Delaware. The party had drawn an estimated 300 to 500 people, many of them believed to be DSU students, and police later described the event as unsanctioned by the school.
Shortly after 9:30 p.m., Dover police were called to the park for
reports of shots fired. When officers arrived, they found Wright suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. A second victim, a 22-year-old man, had also been struck in the shoulder and hand. Both were taken to Bayhealth Kent General Hospital, where Wright later died from his injuries. The other victim was treated for his wounds.
Investigators said the shooting appeared to have erupted as a shootout involving multiple suspects during the crowded party. Wright was described by police and those close to him as having been caught in the crossfire rather than being identified as a participant. A family member said he was at the park when the violence broke out, and friends remembered him as friendly, smiling, and easy to be around.
Delaware State University publicly mourned Wright's death, saying the school community was saddened and troubled by the tragedy. Wright was reported to be from Prince George's County, Maryland, and a student at DSU at the time of his death. His killing also prompted public warnings from university leadership about the dangers of large off-campus gatherings, especially during a time when the event also violated COVID-era restrictions on crowd size.
Authorities did not publicly name any suspects in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. Dover police asked witnesses and anyone with information to contact investigators or Delaware Crime Stoppers, and a reward was offered for information leading to an arrest. Based on available public reporting, no arrests, charges, trials, or convictions have been publicly announced in connection with Devin Wright's death.
