DOVER, DE- A recent surge in gun violence has shaken the Dover community, with 13 shooting incidents reported in just three weeks.
Many neighbors say the spike in crime has left them concerned about safety and questioning what is being done to address the issue.
Britney Mumford, who is from Dover, said the rise in violence is alarming—and is something she says she has been hearing about far too often.
"I think it is outrageous. I think it sounds like something that happens in Philadelphia or New York City—not a small town like Dover."
This past weekend alone, three shootings were reported, including one fatality outside McGlynns Pub.
Frank Marcellino, who recently retired to Kent County, said hearing about the recent shootings was unsettling.
"It kind of took me back in the last year or two of what I'm hearing. I understand certain areas are a little rougher than others."
The Dover Police Department notes that historically, April and May see the highest number of shootings.
Police Chief Thomas Johnson said many of the recent crimes are linked to juvenile activity, driven by increasing gang involvement among young people.
"We're just experiencing a time where there's a lot of new, young people. Some of them coming up inside a gang-oriented lifestyle. And the things that you might expect to be happening are happening."
Johnson emphasized that addressing the violence requires more than just police intervention—it calls for a collective community effort.
"The idea of getting into the lives of our young people at a young age and showing them the right path- is a collective community responsibility."
Mumford agreed with Johnson, stressing that more community programs and educational opportunities are necessary to guide Dover's youth away from violence.
"We're not providing enough of a solid education for our kids and enough opportunities for them to learn and grow, to keep them out of violent crime and off the streets."
The Dover Police Department is urging the community to share any information that could help prevent future crimes, hoping for safer streets in the state's capital city.