HARRINGTON, Del.- Delaware State Police are investigating a trooper-involved shooting that left a 42-year-old man dead Saturday night in Harrington.
According to police, troopers responded to 17 Dusty Branch Lane, in the Pine Ridge development, at approximately 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Police said this response was prompted when the suspect, identified as 42-year-old Angel Feliciano of Harrington contacted the mobile crisis hotline, indicating that he was suicidal and armed with a weapon.
Upon arrival at the aforementioned residence, police said troopers observed Feliciano seated in the driver's seat of a Chevrolet Tahoe parked in the driveway facing westbound, toward the backyard. Subsequently, as troopers attempted to make contact with Feliciano, troopers said the suspect accelerated the Tahoe forward into the yard, then completed a U-turn and traveled eastbound, exiting the driveway with a right-hand turn onto Dusty Branch Lane.
According to police, a trooper in a fully-marked patrol vehicle began to follow Feliciano as he turned right, traveling westbound onto Thornwood Drive. According to police, Feliciano made a sudden U-turn after traveling approximately 300 feet on Thornwood Drive, heading directly toward the trooper's vehicle, with the trooper still seated inside.
Police said the trooper was able to exit the patrol vehicle, just as Feliciano accelerated at a high rate of speed. According to police, the front of the Tahoe, equipped with a steel push bar, rammed the patrol vehicle in a head-on collision, causing severe and disabling damage.
Police stated the trooper responded by discharging multiple rounds from his gun, striking the windshield and front passenger side window and door of the Tahoe, and also striking Feliciano, who was seated in the driver's seat. According to police, the Tahoe continued to push the patrol vehicle approximately 60 feet backwards following the initial impact, before coming to a stop.
Police said Feliciano was pronounced dead at the scene by responding EMS, and his body was turned over to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the cause and manner of death.
According to police, the trooper involved in this incident was not injured.
DSP identified the trooper as a three-year veteran of the force, assigned to Troop 3 in Dover. The trooper has been placed on administrative leave as per DSP policy, pending the outcome of the investigation. The trooper's name is not being released at this time.
Police said detectives from the DSP Homicide Unit responded to the scene and are conducting the investigation.
The trooper-involved shooting occurred Saturday night on Dusty Branch Lane, in the Pine Ridge development. (Photo: WBOC)
