Trooper Involved Shooting Being Investigated In Claymont

Location:

· 4th Avenue and Brandywine Avenue (Overlook Colony), Claymont, DE



Date of Occurrence:

· Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 3:00 a.m.

Defendant/Charges/Bond Information:

· Leo J. Pierce-36 of Bear, DE (photo not available at time of release)

· Below Charges are from previous incident that occurred 051012

· Reckless Endangering First Degree

· Receiving Stolen Property

· Resisting Arrest

· Disregarding a Police Officer Signal

· Criminal Mischief

· Other related traffic offenses

· Bond Information pending arraignment

Resume:

Claymont-The Delaware State Police continue to investigate a Trooper involved shooting that occurred early this morning in Claymont, DE

The following information outlines the initial investigation into a Trooper involved shooting that occurred early this morning. The incident occurred on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at approximately 3:00 a.m. as Troopers were in the area of Overlook Colony searching for Leo J. Pierce-36 who was wanted on the above charges that were the result of a pursuit of a stolen vehicle involving the Wilmington Police Department, Delaware State Police, and the Newport Police Department, which occurred on Thursday, May 10, 2012. The pursuit ended on Washington Avenue near Elsmere, where the suspect rammed a Newport Police Department patrol vehicle. The operator of the stolen vehicle, later identified as Pierce, abandoned the car and fled on foot into a wooded area and was not located. There were no injuries as a result of this incident.

On Saturday, May 12, 2012 at approximately 3:00 a.m. Troopers received information that Pierce was in the Overlook Colony area in Claymont. Troopers searching the area observed Pierce walking in the area of 4th Avenue and Brandywine Avenue, where he got into the driver’s seat of a 2005 Lincoln LS Sedan that was parked facing eastbound on 4th Avenue. As Troopers approached the Lincoln they gave Pierce verbal commands to exit the vehicle and he did not comply. A Trooper located on the driver’s side of the Lincoln broke out the driver’s side window as Pierce began to move forward. The Trooper deployed his Divisional issued Taser device on Pierce with no effect. Pierce accelerated forward at a high rate of speed with the front of the Lincoln striking and pushing forward a parked vehicle that was located to the front. Pierce accelerated and swerved to the left onto a grass strip and onto the sidewalk, directly towards a Trooper that was positioned on the sidewalk. The Trooper discharged several rounds from his Divisional issued weapon striking the front and windshield of the Lincoln. The Lincoln continued forward with the Trooper able to jump out of its path. The vehicle continued approximately 20’ in an eastbound direction traveling down the sidewalk, coming to rest straddling the sidewalk and roadway on the northwest corner of Brandywine Avenue. Pierce was removed from the vehicle and taken into custody.

The Lincoln LS sedan that Pierce was operating was reported stolen from the Sheridan Nissan dealership on Thursday, May 10, 2012.

Troopers involved in this incident were not injured.

Leo Pierce was not struck by the Trooper’s discharged rounds but was transported to Wilmington Hospital Emergency Room for medical evaluation, treated and released into the custody of Troopers.

Pierce was charged with the above crimes which are related to the incident that occurred on Thursday, May 10, 2012. He was awaiting arraignment at the time of this release. Charges for this morning’s incident are pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation. Pierce is also an active probationer and was also wanted by the Delaware State Police on active warrants for two separate shoplifting charges that occurred within the last week.

The Trooper involved in this incident is a 14 year veteran of the Delaware State Police assigned to Troop 2. He has been placed on administrative leave as per Divisional policy, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Detectives from the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit responded to the scene and are conducting the investigation. This is an active investigation with detectives continuing their investigation, evidence processing, and interviews.