Police arrest 5 in park shootings tied to drug deal

Carlos Hernandez
Carlos Hernandez (Photo: NCCPD)

NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE (3/27/2015) Five arrests have been made in connection with the shooting of two men on Sunday at Rogers Manor Park that happened during a drug deal, New Castle County police announced this morning.

Those charged were identified as Carlos Hernandez, 19; Joshua Scruggs, 18;  Kaleef Smyre, 20; Jorge Reza-Ayala, 21; and a 16-year-old boy, whose name was not released.

The shootings happened about 1 a.m. in the park in the 400 block of Moores Lane near New Castle.

The two victims were shot inside a gold GMC Sierra pickup truck, said Officer First Class Tom Jackson, a police spokesman.

One victim suffered a “significant wound to his head and face area as a result of a shotgun blast,” Jackson said.

The other was struck in the upper body by a second shotgun blast.

Both men were treated by New Castle County paramedics and taken to Christiana Hospital by Goodwill and Holloway Terrace fire company ambulances.

Joshua Scruggs
Joshua Scruggs (Photo: NCCPD)

Jackson gave this account:

The police investigation found that late Saturday night the 16-year-old set up a meeting with the two victims to buy drugs.

The 16-year-old along with Hernandez, Scruggs, Smyre, and Reza-Ayala agreed with the victims to meet at Rogers Manor Park to make the drug deal.

The victims then tried to flee in their vehicle and two shots were fired into the truck with a shotgun.

One of the rounds struck and critically wounded a 19-year-old man in the face. The victim will require countless surgeries.

The other victim, a 23-year-old man, was struck in the upper body and remains in stable condition.

Detectives arrested and charged the final suspect Thursday evening, Jackson said.

The 16-year-old was charged with attempted murder in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, assault in the second degree and conspiracy in the first degree. He was issued a $107,000 cash bail.

Kaleef Smyre
Kaleef Smyre (Photo: NCCPD)

Hernandez, of the 100 block of Stamm Blvd. near New Castle, was charged with robbery in the first degree and conspiracy in the first degree. Carlos was committed to the Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.

Scruggs, of the first block of S. Independence Blvd. near New Castle, was charged with attempted murder in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, conspiracy in the second degree and assault in the second degree. He was committed to the Young Correctional in lieu of $168,000 secured bail.

Jorge Reza-Ayala
Jorge Reza-Ayala (Photo: NCCPD)

Smyre, of the first block of Palmer Place in the Brookside area east of Newark, was charged with attempted murder in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, assault in the second degree and conspiracy in the first degree. He was committed to the Young Correctional in lieu of $236,000 cash bail.

Reza-Ayala, of the first block of Upton Hall in the Engilish Village community in Pike Creek, was charged with attempted murder in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, assault in the second degree and conspiracy in the first degree. He was committed to Young Correctional in lieu of $227,000 cash bail.

One of two men shot at park in critical condition