The Dover police have identified the 18-year-old woman who died in a shooting on the Delaware State University campus early Sunday morning.
Camay Mitchell DeSilva, a resident of Wilmington, was taken to Bayhealth Kent Campus after the incident, but unfortunately, it was too late. Although she was not a student at DSU, she was visiting a student at the university.
James Overton, the vice president for student affairs and superintendent of police at DSU, first informed the school community of the shooting through an alert.
The message, issued just before 8 a.m., stated that DSU police received an initial phone call about the shooting at 1:40 a.m. The incident took place outside the north end of an underpass outside Warren Franklin Residential Hall.
Upon arrival, officers found DeSilva unconscious.
A preliminary investigation conducted in collaboration with the Dover police revealed that DeSilva and another non-student female, who may have been involved, were visiting a student on campus.
According to DSU, the suspect(s) fled towards College Road after the incident.
The Dover Police Department released a statement just after noon on Sunday, providing limited additional information and confirming that no one else was injured.
As news of the shooting spread, parents took to social media to share pictures of their children who attend DSU, reassuring friends and family of their safety.
Some comments expressed gratitude, while others conveyed shock and sadness.
One woman mentioned that the tragedy had a significant impact on her daughter, who was friends with DeSilva.
DSU President Tony Allen issued a statement in the evening, describing the shooting as “tragic.” He emphasized that violence, including the use of firearms, has no place on the campus. Allen called for prayers for better days and the safety of the entire campus community.
