Police Kill Suspect In Fatal Delaware State Trooper Shooting: Officials

BEAR, DE — A Delaware state trooper with ties to Maryland was shot and killed in a Wawa parking lot Wednesday on US 40 in Bear, officials said. After an hours-long barricade, police said Thursday morning the suspect was shot and killed in Middletown, more than 10 miles from the crime scene.

Corporal Stephen J. Ballard, 32, was fatally shot outside Wawa in the 1600 block of Pulaski Highway in Bear, according to police. Ballard was an eight-and-a-half year veteran assigned to Glasgow, police reported. He is from Bowie in Maryland.

Police said Ballard was investigating a suspicious vehicle in the Wawa parking lot. Witnesses told The News Journal that after noon, someone in a vehicle shot an officer, got out and fired several more times at the uniformed policeman, who had fallen to the ground. Others provided the trooper with CPR, and he was taken to Christiana Hospital, the journal reported.

A man believed to be connected to the shooting barricaded himself in a residence in Middletown, where police said special operations teams and negotiators worked Wednesday afternoon and overnight to try to get him to surrender.

At 9:17 a.m. on Thursday, the man left the residence and "engaged police," before law enforcement shot him, Delaware State Police said in a statement. The suspect was pronounced deceased at 9:29 a.m., officials said.

Special response and conflict resolution teams converged in the area. Area residents were evacuated, and the Odessa Fire Company set up a temporary shelter for them.

The Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit used a device to breach the front door at 8:22 p.m., but authorities said they had not entered the residence after 9 p.m.

The man fired at officials again at approximately 4 a.m. Thursday, and despite sending explosives to breach the windows, officials said they were not able to enter the residence.

When the man left the residence after 9 a.m., he was fatally shot by police. He has not been publicly identified.

aSearch underway for suspect at the Brickmill Farms neighborhood of Middletown. Chopper 6 above. pic.twitter.com/97V1rgB36L

— Chad Pradelli (@chadpradelli) April" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/chadpradel... 26, 2017

10:07 a.m.: "At 9:17 a.m., the male suspect exited the residence and engaged police. The suspect was then shot by law enforcement. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:29 a.m. A news conference will be held at Delaware State Police Troop 2, Glasgow at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon where more details of this investigation will be discussed. Residents in the area remain evacuated. The Odessa Fire Company, located at 304 Main Street in Odessa, has opened its facility to temporarily house the evacuated residents of Brick Mill Farms Development."

5:35 a.m.: "Allied police agencies continue to operate on St. Michaels Drive in the Brick Mill Farms Development [in Middletwon]. The subject continues to remain barricaded inside the residence and is armed with an unknown type firearm. At 8:22 p.m. Wednesday April 26, 2017, the Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD) utilized an explosive breeching charge on the front door. At that time, no entry was made into the residence. Around 4:00 a.m. this morning, Thursday April 27, 2017, officers once again came under fire from the suspect. Allied agencies explosively breached numerous windows but did not enter the residence. Multiple Special Operations Response Teams and Conflict Management Teams from allied police agencies continued to make contact with the male subject and attempted to persuade him to surrender."

10:20 p.m.: "The Odessa Fire Company, located at 304 Main Street in Odessa, is opening its facility to temporarily house the evacuated residents of Brick Mill Farms Development while allied police agencies continue to negotiate with an armed barricaded subject."

9:45 p.m.: "Allied police agencies continue to operate on St. Michaels Drive in the Brick Mill Farms Development. The subject continues to remain barricaded inside the residence and is armed with an unknown type firearm. At 8:22 p.m., the Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD) utilized an explosive breeching charge on the front door. At this time, no entry has been made into the residence. Multiple Special Operations Response Teams and Conflict Management Teams from allied police agencies are attempting to make contact with the male subject and are continuing to attempt to persuade him to surrender. Residents in the area remain evacuated. There are no reported injuries. Brick Mill Road remains closed between Marl Pit Road and Middletown Odessa Road (SR299)."

9:35 p.m.: "The Delaware State Trooper who was shot and killed at the Wawa convenience store located on Pulaski Highway, Bear, has been identified as Cpl./1 Stephen J. Ballard. Ballard, 32, was an 8.5 year veteran of the Delaware State Police and was assigned to patrol at Troop 2, Glasgow. The investigation into this incident is on-going. More information will be released as the investigation progresses."

3 p.m.: "Multiple police agencies are on the scene of a shots fired complaint in the 500 block of St. Michaels Drive, Brick Mill Farm Development. This investigation is related to the incident in which a trooper was shot outside a Newark area convenience store. A male suspect has refused orders to surrender and continues to fire rounds at police officers. No further details are available at this time and updates regarding this incident will be sent hourly or until the situation is resolved. Residents in the area are advised to stay inside their homes and lock their doors until notified otherwise. Brick Mill Road is currently closed between Marl Pit Road and Middletown Odessa Road (SR299). Commuters are advised to seek alternate routes of travel."

Police at 2 p.m.: "Delaware State Police are currently investigating a shooting of a trooper in the parking lot of the Wawa located at 1605 Pulaski Highway. The investigation is in its early stages and more information will be disseminated at a later time. Traffic is congested in the area, commuters are asked to find alternate routes of travel."

Over the state line in Maryland, the Cecil County Sheriff's Office offered its support.

The Harford County Sheriff's Office, which lost two deputies in the line of duty to a gunman in 2016, also sent prayers to the Delaware State Police.

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