Suspect Identified After Deadly Shooting at Wilmington Hospital
Suspect Identified After Deadly Shooting at Wilmington Hospital; Police Say Attack Was Targeted
A deadly workplace shooting inside Wilmington Hospital has left one employee dead, another critically wounded, and a community searching for answers after police identified a 23-year-old hospital worker as the alleged gunman.
Authorities say John Wallace-Bey, of New Castle, Delaware, was arrested Tuesday night after investigators tracked him to Philadelphia’s Olney section. He now faces charges including murder and attempted murder as he awaits extradition to Delaware.
Police say the shooting happened around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday inside Wilmington Hospital on West 14th Street. Investigators allege Wallace-Bey, who was also employed at the hospital, shot two fellow employees, both 19-year-old men.
One victim was pronounced dead. The second remains hospitalized in critical condition. Officials have not yet publicly released either victim’s name.
According to investigators, the shooting appears to have been targeted and isolated, a detail that may shape both the criminal investigation and the hospital’s internal review.
The violence triggered a lockdown inside the hospital, forcing patients, visitors, and staff to shelter where they could as heavily armed officers swept the building. Witnesses described a scene of confusion and fear, with police directing people into bathrooms and secure rooms while SWAT teams searched for the suspect.
Law enforcement sources told 6abc that license plate reader technology helped authorities locate the suspect several hours later in Philadelphia. Police took Wallace-Bey into custody around 9:30 p.m., and a Toyota RAV4 was towed from the scene.
In a statement, ChristianaCare, which operates Wilmington Hospital, said it was taking steps to protect patients, caregivers, and visitors, while expressing sympathy for the victims, their families, and everyone affected by the shooting.
The case now moves into a deeper phase, with investigators expected to examine the suspect’s workplace history, any prior conflicts, and the motive behind a shooting that turned a hospital — a place built for care — into a crime scene.
