DOVER, Del.- The Dover Police Department announced the arrest of Jaquan Fletcher for the murder of Frederick Tolson on Dec. 14.
Fletcher faces charges for the attempted murder of three other individuals within city limits, including a 45-year-old male, a 35-year-old male, and a 59-year-old male, all from Dover. There is no apparent prior relationship between them and the assailant.
The series of events commenced at 5:34 a.m. on Dec. 2, when Dover Police responded to a shooting report at the Wawa store, located at 1450 Forrest Avenue.
Officers found a 45-year-old male shot in the upper body while walking in the parking lot. The victim, unaware of the shooter's identity or exact location, was treated at Bayhealth – Kent Campus for non-life-threatening wounds and discharged.
No prior contact between the victim and any other individuals was established before the shooting.
At 2:04 a.m. on Dec. 8, officers were dispatched to Village Drive and Quail Hollow Drive for the second shooting related to this case.
A 35-year-old male was found shot in the upper body while walking in the area. The suspect, shooting from a concealed position and at a significant distance, caused the victim's injuries. The victim was also treated at Bayhealth – Kent Campus. No prior dispute or disturbance was evident.
At 8:45 p.m. on Dec. 14, Police responded to the unit block of Ann Avenue for the third shooting linked to this case. Two victims, shot in their upper bodies, were found in front of the same house.
Frederick Tolson and a family member, a 59-year-old male, were transported to Bayhealth -Kent Campus. Unfortunately, Tolson succumbed to his injuries.
As with the previous events, the suspect shot the victims from a concealed position without any prior conflict.
Dover detectives investigated each case with video surveillance review, data from vehicle identification technology, extensive witness and victim interviews, and comprehensive crime scene examinations. Information gathered from the third crime scene connected the events and pointed to a single individual.
Within 24 hours of the third shooting, Jaquan Fletcher was identified as the suspect responsible for all three shootings and injuries to the victims. Fletcher, already wanted by the Delaware State Police for unrelated charges, was apprehended without incident at his home on December 15, 2023, at 200 Isabelle Isle, during the execution of a search warrant by our Special Operations Response Team.
The case status was promptly presented to the Attorney General’s Kent County Office, finalizing a charge list by Dec. 20th and obtaining a court-approved arrest warrant. Fletcher was arraigned on Dec. 21 and remains committed to the State Correctional Institution on $1.225 million cash bail for charges including:
- One count of Murder in the First Degree
- Three Counts of Attempted Murder in the First Degree
- Three Counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
- Six Counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited
Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson said the department "believes it has disrupted the behavior of a violent individual who chose his victims at random. He took his time, carefully aimed his shots and carried out what could only be described as “ambush” style shootings. If not for his arrest, it is highly likely he would have struck again."