DOVER, Del. -- On Wednesday, Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen held a press conference to address recent incidents of gun violence and the city’s response alongside law enforcement, elected officials, education and faith-based community leaders and more.
"It is past the time for all of us to get involved and bring our community back to the Dover we all love," Christiansen said. "We must stand against this senseless violence. Who will stand with me?"
Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson also addressed the public. He acknowledged the recent killing of Daniel Guzman Jr. on Barrister Place and gave his condolences to Guzman's family.
"Group and gang violence is a serious community problem," said Johnson. "It is difficult to predict exactly where and when it will happen, but it will keep happening if we don't come together."
Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with WBOC, Guzman's mother, Apollonia Rivera, says grief and fear overshadow her neighborhood.
"Threats still remain that more bodies will fall," says Rivera.
She says a year ago, the city agreed to install a fence to separate Barrister Place and the neighboring community, Stoney Creek. It never happened. Rivera believes negligence from the city and police are partly to blame for her son's death.
"If that fence had been there, my son may possibly be still alive," says Rivera. "[Police] don't protect us. They come when it's chaos. But they're not doing anything to make a change. "
Chief Johnson says group and gang violence has become a complex issue to address.
"There's infighting now like you've never seen before," says Johnson. "There's divided loyalties. There are individuals who are leaving one group and going to another group, and sometimes we don't get the memo. It doesn't mean we can't solve crime. But it's more challenging, particularly on the prevention side of things."
Johnson agrees that his officers don't always get it right, but he says they will do their best to increase communication and trust with the community.
"Human beings will make mistakes," says Johnson. "Yes, they get held accountable, and I can show you how they get held accountable. Now that we can agree upon all that, let's get about the business of problem-solving."
Dover Police say there have been 18 shootings so far in 2025, with two of them deadly.