Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel Melissa Zebley

Update – Second Suspect Arrested State Police Apprehend 15-Year-Old Following Shooting Incident at Sussex Central High School

Date Posted: Thursday, March 7th, 2024

News Release

Delaware State Police have arrested 19-year-old Gerod Sturgis of Georgetown, Delaware in connection with the shooting incident that occurred last week at Sussex Central High School.

On February 27, 2024, at approximately 8:53 p.m., troopers assigned to Sussex Central High School, located at 26026 Patriots Way in Georgetown, were on duty for a basketball game when they were alerted to gunfire within the vicinity. Troopers responded to the school’s parking lot, where they discovered multiple shell casings but, thankfully, no reported injuries.

Through the course of the investigation, Troop 4 Detectives learned that the 15-year-old suspect shot at a vehicle that was traveling southbound on Patriots Way after exiting the parking lot of Sussex Central High School. After the shooting, the 15-year-old suspect fled the scene in a Jeep Cherokee which was driven by a man detectives identified as Gerod Sturgis.

Detectives also discovered that Howard T. Ennis School, located across from Sussex Central High School on Patriots Way, was struck by gunfire during the shooting. As a result, the 15-year-old suspect has been charged with four felony counts of reckless endangering 1st degree, and one count of criminal mischief. He was arraigned on the additional charges and remains committed at Stevenson House Detention Center.

On Thursday February 29, 2024, Sturgis was taken into custody at Troop 4, where he was charged with the below crimes, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $6,000 secured bond.

Gerod Sturgis