Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William D. Crotty

State Police Investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting in Greenwood

Date Posted: Thursday, March 12th, 2026

Graphic titled “News Release Sussex County” featuring a Delaware State Police Chevrolet Tahoe parked with the World War II watch tower in the background at Cape Henlopen State Park. A silhouette map of Delaware appears on the left with Sussex County highlighted in blue, the text “BecomeATrooper.com” on the bottom center, and social media icons are shown at the bottom right corner.

Graphic titled “News Release Sussex County” featuring a Delaware State Police Chevrolet Tahoe parked with the World War II watch tower in the background at Cape Henlopen State Park. A silhouette map of Delaware appears on the left with Sussex County highlighted in blue, the text “BecomeATrooper.com” on the bottom center, and social media icons are shown at the bottom right corner.

The Delaware State Police is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Wednesday in Greenwood while serving a warrant.

On March 11, 2026, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Delaware State Police, including members of the Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration (SOAR) Unit, Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Unit, and the Special Operations Response Team (SORT), responded to the 11000 block of Wheatfield Road in Greenwood to execute a search warrant and apprehend 60-year-old Jeffrey Mitchem. Earlier in the day, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Threat Operations Center notified DSP of threatening online posts by Mitchem. He had also sent a picture of himself holding what appeared to be a black handgun to a State Police SOAR detective, along with an image of a coffin. Additionally, Mitchem was wanted by the Arlington County Police Department (Virginia) for felony terroristic threatening.

When troopers arrived, Mitchem barricaded himself in his camper and refused to come out. The DSP Crisis Management Team established contact with Mitchem, who repeatedly refused commands to surrender and threatened that he had a large amount of gunpowder and was holding the trigger to detonate. Mitchem was seen spreading what appeared to be an unknown powdery substance inside the camper, and he kept one hand hidden inside when he stepped outside the door, supporting his threats.

A trooper fired a single shot, hitting Mitchem in the arm. Following the shot, Mitchem threw a handgun out of the camper, exited, and was taken into custody without further incident. Troopers provided first aid until emergency medical professionals arrived, and he was taken to an area hospital for serious injuries.

In accordance with DSP standard operating procedures for officer-involved shootings, the Homicide Unit assumed the investigation. Preliminarily, detectives determined that the black handgun Mitchem threw from the camper was an airsoft pistol/replica of a Walther PPS M2 firearm. A search of the camper revealed that Mitchem had placed a 6.5-inch wooden-handled hunting-style knife on a shelf near the entrance where he was standing before being forced to surrender. Mitchem is prohibited from possessing a deadly weapon due to prior felony convictions. The DSP Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit confirmed that the unknown powdery substance was not explosive material.

Mitchem remains hospitalized. He was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11, and turned over to the custody of the Delaware Department of Correction on a $43,000 secured bond.

Mugshot of Jeffrey Mitchem

Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited (Felony)
Intent Threaten the Life of or Threatens Severe Physical Injury to Public Official or Public Servant (Felony) – 19 counts
Resisting Arrest

The involved trooper has been placed on administrative leave while a use-of-force investigation is conducted in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust.

This is an active investigation, and detectives ask anyone with information about this case to contact Detective M. Csapo at (302) 741-2729. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or has lost a loved one to a sudden death and needs assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.