WILMINGTON, DE — Wilmington police announced arrests tied to a fatal shooting that unfolded on a city block last spring, bringing new developments to a case that left one young man dead and two others wounded.
Investigators said the violence erupted around 6:46 p.m. on May 8, 2025, when officers from the Uniformed Services Division were dispatched to the 800 block of East 22nd Street after reports of gunfire. At the scene, police located 22-year-old Jahmir Johnson suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and later died from his injuries.
Two additional victims were also found wounded. A 10-year-old girl and a 20-year-old woman were transported to area hospitals in stable condition, authorities said.
The case was assigned to Detective Joseph Wicks of the Criminal Investigation Division, who led a months-long investigation. Police said that work ultimately identified two suspects: 20-year-old Rasheed Earl and 21-year-old Darien Harden.
On February 2, 2026, the case was presented to the New Castle County Grand Jury, which returned indictments against both men. At the time of the indictments, Earl and Harden were already being held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on unrelated charges.
According to police, Earl has been charged with first-degree murder, four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, two counts of second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangering, wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, and first-degree conspiracy. He was arraigned in New Castle County Superior Court and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $3,200,000 cash-only bail.
Harden has been charged with two counts of receiving stolen property valued over $1,500 and one count of theft under $1,500. He was arraigned in Superior Court and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution pending further proceedings.
Police emphasized that the charges stem from allegations uncovered during the investigation. As with all criminal cases, the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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