Two killings just days apart on same Wilmington block

Balloons form a memorial to a shooting victim from Friday night as police mark evidence of Monday night's killing on the sidewalk. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)
A second man was killed in the 1200 block of W. 7th St. in Wilmington Monday night, right in front of a memorial from a previous shooting.
Wilmington Police evidence markers could be seen directly in front of a makeshift memorial set up following Friday night’s shooting.
The latest killing happened around 6:45 p.m., Monday night. Police found the 23-year-old Leroy Collins of Wilmington with a gunshot wound to his back. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police said the investigation is still in the early stages.
The 23-year-old was shot right in front of balloons and other items that were placed in the area to memorialize 22-year-old Samuel Copeland, who was shot and killed in the same area just after 9 p.m. on Friday night. Copeland, who was also known as “Chicago” or “Sumo,” was pronounced dead on the scene.
Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction related to Copeland’s murder.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.