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Del Troopers killed police ID after charging them for knife

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A 44-year-old man who was fatally shot by official after the state police announced that he was charged with a knife was identified as Gregory Painter.

Milford's painter was fatally wounded on May 1, when the soldiers responded to Route 9 (Lewes-Gorgeetown Highway) near the Harbeson Road after they had received several 911 calls over 4 p.m. for a possible driver, the police said.

The callers told the dispatchers that a red Ford F-1550 drove slowly, drove into lanes opposite and on the shoulder.

The responding police found the truck operated by the painter in the Coolspring Road near Fisher Road. The soldiers tried to stop him, but the police said he continued and persecuted the officials.

The painter finally stopped in a driveway in the 28,000 block of the West Springide Drive, the police said. Then he climbed out of the truck with a knife and ran into a nearby house.

The painter did not live in the house from which the police were occupied at that time.

At some point the painter left the house.

Then the police said that he had “accused” of the soldiers, although they ordered the painter to drop the knife.

The soldiers fired their weapons, beat and killed the painter.

The soldiers remain in the administrative vacation per department directive, since the state police and the Department of Justice of Delaware are examining the shootout.

While this is the third person who has been shot this year by police officers in Delaware, this is the first person who died.

  • On January 5, a 20-year-old man from Maryland was shot by a police officer from the University of Delaware after the man had told 911 that he had suicide intentions and had a knife.
  • On January 28, a 32-year-old man was shot by the Wilmington police in the street East 10th and Kirkwood as members of the drug, organized crime and the vice department of the department.

The police continue to examine the shootout of May 1st and asks that everyone with information about this case contact detectives under (302) 741-2821. Information can also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or Delaware Crime Stopers at (800) 847-3333.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or EParra@delawareonline.com.

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