WILMINGTON, DE — A suspect was taken into custody in Philadelphia after a shooting inside a Delaware hospital on June 16 left one person dead and another wounded, authorities said, the latest violent attack to occur at a medical center in the United States.
Officers were called to ChristianaCare Wilmington Hospital at about 3:30 p.m. local time after receiving a report of a shooting inside the building, Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos said during a news conference. Police initially urged the public to avoid the area as they responded to the scene.
“Police located two gunshot victims. One of those victims has tragically died from his injuries,” Campos said at the news conference. He added that information about the second victim’s condition, as well as the identities of both victims, was being withheld “out of respect for the families.”
In an update shortly before 10 p.m. local time, the Wilmington Police Department said the suspect — identified only as a 23-year-old man — was taken into custody in Philadelphia, and charges and extradition to Delaware were pending.
A preliminary investigation determined that the shooting was a “targeted, isolated incident,” police said in the update. Police noted that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
“Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, as well as the ChristianaCare community, and our residents who have been impacted,” Campos said. “Regardless of what the motive in this incident might have been, there is never an excuse for violence, and there is never an excuse for gun violence.”
The police chief noted that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Wilmington is the largest city in Delaware, with a population of more than 73,000, and is sometimes called the “corporate capital of America” due to the large number of companies located in the state. The city is about 30 miles south of Philadelphia.
The hospital was initially placed on lockdown as officers responded, but that order was later lifted as police began clearing the scene. Earlier, the Delaware News Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported that dozens of police officers — some with long rifles and tactical gear — had converged on the main and emergency room entrances at the hospital.
Campos said multiple local, state, and federal agencies responded to assist, including Delaware State Police, New Castle County police, the Wilmington Fire Department, county paramedics, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
ChristianaCare, which operates the hospital, previously said in a statement to the Delaware News Journal that it was “working closely with law enforcement and taking all appropriate steps to ensure the safety of our patients, caregivers and visitors.”
“Our priority remains the safety and well-being of everyone on our campus and the continuity of care for our patients,” ChristianaCare said in the statement.
In an evening statement, ChristianaCare said the Wilmington Hospital was open and fully operational.
“Our community is mourning a tragic shooting that occurred earlier today at our Wilmington Hospital campus,” the statement reads. “The situation has been resolved, and the campus is now open, safe and secure with no ongoing threat to patients, caregivers or visitors.”
Authorities did not immediately provide details on what led to the shooting. Police said investigators would continue working to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Wilmington Mayor John Carney said hospital workers were “barricaded in rooms across the hospital as our law enforcement teams went through and cleared each of the floors.”
“Any violence or loss of life in our city is unacceptable,” Carney said at the news conference. “It’s particularly distressing when an incident like this occurs in a hospital whose fundamental purpose is to treat injuries and save lives.”
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer said the incident “hits especially close to home for our family,” adding that his wife, Dr. Lauren Meyer, was reporting for work at the hospital when the attack occurred.
“What I saw were heroes going to work in that building, and heroes who were involved in life-saving efforts,” the governor said.
About 20 people took part in an active shooter course on the bottom floor of the hospital moments before the shooting took place, according to people in the class.
During the class, the instructor received a call, got serious, and then told everyone they needed to leave the building, people outside the hospital told the Delaware News Journal. Participants of the class then walked out of the building along the stairs on a nearby street.
The newspaper reported earlier that federal agents were seen arriving at the scene, and several people were observed with their hands raised, as authorities began to release hospital staff members from the building.
The shooting at the Wilmington Hospital is the latest violent attack to occur at medical centers across the United States, underscoring growing concerns about safety in places dedicated to care.
Several incidents in recent years have drawn national attention. In April, a Chicago man was charged with first-degree murder and multiple other felonies in connection with the fatal shooting of a police officer and the wounding of a second officer at a North Side hospital.
In February 2025, a shooting at a southern Pennsylvania hospital left six people injured and a police officer dead. Authorities said the suspect entered the hospital’s intensive care unit, held staff members hostage, and opened fire before police fatally shot the gunman.
In July 2023, a security guard died after being shot at an Oregon hospital, and police later shot and killed the suspect, according to authorities and the hospital. At the time, the hospital said the security guard was killed “while protecting our patients and employees,” and another staff member was injured in the shooting.
Workers at hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings “face significant risks of workplace violence,” according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Citing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 2025 article from the American College of Surgeons noted that healthcare workers are five times more likely to suffer workplace violence than other occupations and “in these types of events, 93% of assaults are committed against healthcare workers.”
Contributing: Michelle Ganassi and Shannon Marvel McNaught, Delaware News Journal
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