DEWEY BEACH, Del. - The Delaware Department of Justice has determined a Dewey Beach Police Officer's use of force in a March 2022 shooting incident did not constitute a crime.
21-year-old Rodney K. Robinson III of Milford died after being shot by Dewey Beach Police Patrolman Dylan Ebke.
Delaware State Police said that just before 1:30 a.m. on March 19, 2022, officers were notified by employees of the Starboard Restaurant of a man leaving the restaurant with a gun. Officers tried to contact the man on the sidewalk in front of the business, but he reportedly ran southbound on Coastal Highway. Officers gave chase for about three blocks but lost sight of him. A search was conducted in the area by officers, but they were unsuccessful in finding the man.
Shortly before 2:30 a.m., Police got a call from an employee of Starboard saying the man had returned to the business and was inside a restricted employee-only area. Two Dewey Beach police officers responded and found the man inside the outdoor tent area of the business. When officers attempted to contact the man, he fled from the business northbound on Coastal Highway before running westbound on Saulsbury Street and into a nearby alleyway. Authorities said that at that time, the pursuing officers found the man, and a single gunshot was fired Officer Ebke.
The DOJ says their investigation determined that Officer Ebke reasonably felt in fear for his own life, and the life of his fellow Ofc. Rhoades when Robinson reached a fence line, was unaffected by the Taser, turned towards Ofc. Ebke, pulled up his sweatshirt, and put his hand in his waistband where Ebke saw a bulge near where he previously saw the handle of a handgun.