Monday, October 12, 2026·Focal News

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Philadelphia city worker, 22, killed after Delaware State homecoming gathering

Nasir Cox was fatally shot Saturday in a Dover shopping-center parking lot after attending a homecoming celebration near Delaware State University. His family remembers him as a joyful, caring person; police say another man was wounded and are seeking information about the shooting.

Philadelphia city worker, 22, killed after Delaware State homecoming gathering
Nasir Cox, a 22-year-old Philadelphia resident who worked for the city, was killed Saturday in a shooting near Delaware State University during the school’s homecoming weekend, according to Dover police and his family. A 21-year-old man was also wounded and remained hospitalized in stable condition, police said Monday. Cox did not attend the university. His relatives said he had traveled to Dover to visit a friend and take part in homecoming festivities. Police said thousands of people gathered in a shopping-center parking lot off campus after the university required homecoming visitors to leave campus by 6 p.m. A gunman opened fire, and Cox was caught in the crossfire, authorities said. Police have not announced an arrest. Cox grew up in North Philadelphia and graduated from Roxborough High School. Family members described him as upbeat and kind, someone who liked making people laugh and looked for the positive in difficult situations. He also made TikTok videos that relatives said sometimes went viral. His sister, Lanai Sutton, said the family is struggling with the loss. “Knowing that I will never get a chance to hug my brother again and tell him I love him” is an unbearable pain, she said. Relatives said Cox had tried to make a positive difference in other people’s lives. “He was a beautiful soul,” his brother Aaron Sutton said. Dover police are asking anyone with information, including video recorded at the scene, to contact the department’s Criminal Investigations Unit at 302-736-7111. Tips can also be submitted through the Dover Police Department’s online contact form, and tipsters may remain anonymous.

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