Gunfire erupted along crowded East Main Street late Saturday as costumed revelers fled and police shut down part of downtown Newark.
NEWARK, Del. — Six people were shot late Saturday on a crowded stretch of East Main Street near the University of Delaware as Halloween celebrations filled downtown Newark, prompting a large emergency response and a police investigation that remained active Sunday.
Newark police said officers were dispatched at about 11:13 p.m. Oct. 31 after reports of gunfire near East Main Street and Choate Street. Police said the shooting occurred on the south sidewalk of East Main Street, directly across from Choate Street. All six people who were shot were taken to local hospitals. Authorities had not publicly released their identities or official medical conditions as of Sunday afternoon.
The shooting sent crowds of people, many wearing Halloween costumes, running from the downtown area as police and emergency crews converged on Main Street. Videos and witness accounts published by local news organizations described people fleeing after hearing a series of sharp sounds. Police closed part of Main Street for several hours while investigators examined the scene and emergency crews treated the wounded.
Authorities had not announced an arrest or publicly identified a suspect by Sunday afternoon. Police also had not disclosed what may have led to the gunfire or whether investigators believed more than one person fired a weapon. An early police statement said there did not appear to be an ongoing threat to public safety, but investigators continued working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The University of Delaware issued an emergency alert shortly before 11:30 p.m. warning the campus community about police activity and telling people to avoid the area. University police assisted with the emergency response and continued coordinating with Newark police. The shooting took place close to the university but on a downtown public street rather than on the campus itself.
Main Street was closed for about five hours as investigators processed the scene, according to police and local reports. Officers from Newark, the University of Delaware and Delaware State Police were among those reported in the area during the response. Streets later reopened after investigators completed their initial work at the scene.
Newark’s Main Street had been crowded for Halloween, with people moving among restaurants, bars and other downtown businesses. Klondike Kate’s, a restaurant near the shooting scene, issued a statement saying the violence did not occur inside the establishment or on its property. The business urged people not to spread unverified claims while police investigated.
Witnesses described a sudden rush to escape after the shots were heard. One man interviewed by NBC10 Philadelphia said he went to help a wounded person and used his shirt to apply pressure until emergency responders arrived. Police had not publicly confirmed the ages of the six victims, and reports based on witness impressions about their ages had not been verified by authorities.
State Reps. Mara Gorman and Cyndie Romer, whose districts include the University of Delaware campus, said Sunday that their thoughts were with the six people who were wounded and with others who experienced the shooting. They also thanked Newark police, university police and emergency medical personnel who responded to the scene.
The University of Delaware later announced that classes, including virtual classes, would be canceled Monday. The university said the decision was not prompted by an ongoing threat but was intended to give students, faculty and staff time to process the shooting and seek support. Campus dining and other services were expected to remain open.
Newark police said the investigation remained ongoing Sunday and asked anyone with information, photographs or video from the area around Main and Choate streets to provide it to investigators. No suspect, motive or arrest had been publicly announced, leaving key questions about what triggered the shooting and who was responsible unanswered.
Author note: Last updated November 1, 2026.