LEWES, Del.- Delaware State Police say a 42-year-old man is in critical condition after a trooper-involved shooting early Tuesday afternoon in Lewes.
Police identified the suspect as Keith Schueller of Rehoboth Beach. Authorities said Schueller had active warrants issued by DSP on felony and misdemeanor theft charges, and is also a suspect in numerous burglaries that have occurred in Sussex County.
According to police, the shooting happened at around 1 p.m. in the area of Plantations Road and Cedar Grove Road in Lewes. A trooper on routine patrol spotted a Jeep Cherokee traveling westbound on Postal Lane, and identified the driver as Schueller, who was wanted by police.
Police said the trooper attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Schueller fled at a high rate of speed into the Sandy Brae development. Police said he traveled through several yards of houses in an attempt to get away. Investigators said the Jeep then reentered Postal Lane traveling westbound, ran the stop sign at the intersection of Plantations Road, and hit a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado operated by a 70-year-old Lewes man. The 70-year-old was not injured as a result of the collision.
After the crash, police said Schueller got out of his vehicle and ran through a cornfield. The trooper got out of his vehicle and was joined by a second trooper in their pursuit of Schueller. Police said the second trooper used his Taser, which was ineffective. Schueller ran behind a home in the 19000 block of Plantations Road. The trooper chased him to the corner of a barn behind the home, where police say Schueller picked up a garden shovel swung it at the trooper. Police said the trooper fired one round from his gun, striking Schueller in the upper body.
Schueller was taken by ambulance to Beebe Medical Center, and then transported to Christiana Hospital Trauma Center, where he remains in critical condition.
Authorities said the trooper involved in this incident is a 3-year DSP veteran assigned to Troop 7 in Lewes. He has been placed on administrative leave as per divisional policy, pending the outcome of the investigation.
