Police respond to shooting near University of Delaware in Newark on Halloween night as Main Street closed off

A large number of police personnel responded to a shooting incident on Main Street near the University of Delaware's campus on Halloween night, according to a report by NBC10 Philadelphia. The shooting occurred at the intersection of Main Street and Choate Street shortly after 11 pm on Saturday (Oct. 31), the Newark Police Department said. No information about the number of victims or their conditions have been revealed by the police as yet.

Main Street shut down

In a statement, the police said they did not believe that there was an ongoing threat to the public after the incident. The university also sent out an emergency alert at 11:29 pm, informing the community about the incident and urging them to avoid the area.


Main Street remained closed from Library Avenue through Academy Street as officers carried out their investigation, the university said in its alert.

A video that has been circulated on social media showed a crowd of people running down on Main Street. A police investigation into the incident was ongoing. No suspects had been taken into custody by the time of writing this. The authorities had also not revealed a motive behind the shooting.

University of Delaware issues alert

In an emergency alert posted on its website, the University of Delaware said: "The Newark Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred in the area of E Main Street and Choate Street on October 31, 2026, at approximately 11:13 PM."

"Officers remain on scene conducting an active investigation. Main Street remains closed from Library Avenue through Academy Street while officers conduct their investigation. Avoid the area until further notice. Students who live in the area and need assistance getting to their residence should call UDPD (302-831-2222). Status updates will be provided here as soon as available," it added.

Incident follows shooting near DSU

The incident has come just weeks after a 22-year-old man was killed in an off-campus shooting during Delaware State University's homecoming weekend. Another victim, a 21-year-old man, was injured in the incident.

The Dover Police Department later arrested two male suspects in connection with the incident, which occurred in the Dover Commons shopping center parking lot.