Police identify man shot to death in Hockessin

Man was found dead in black Audi at parking lot of Franciscan Care Center in Hockessin. (Photo: Delaware Free News)

UPDATED STORY: Police say large amount of marijuana was in Shazim Uppal’s car

HOCKESSIN, DELAWARE (8/25/2015) A 27-year-old recent law school graduate was found shot to death Monday night in a car at Genesis HealthCare near the entrance to the Hockessin Chase development, where he lived, New Castle County police said.

Police this afternoon identified the victim as Shazim Uppal, of the 100 block of St. Clair Drive, and said he had been shot in the upper torso.

Uppal was a member of Masjid Isa Ibn-e-Maryam, a mosque on Old Baltimore Pike in Bear, according to its website, which announced services will be Wednesday. The mosque reported the Uppal family is one of the largest Muslim families in Delaware and said he was a recent law school graduate, reported elsewhere as Temple University’s Beasley School of Law.

Officers discovered the body after someone reported a black Audi sitting in the parking lot in the 100 block of St. Claire Drive for an unusually long time.

Investigators learned he was last seen alive driving a 2007 Black Audi A8 with Delaware registration in the Pike Creek area Sunday between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., said Officer First Class Tracey Duffy, a police spokeswoman.

Genesis HealthCare’s Brackenville Center was formerly known as Franciscan Care Center.

Duffy said the investigation is in its preliminary stages and more information will be released later.

Duffy asked anyone with information on Uppal’s death to call investigators at 302-395-8110, and she also asked anyone with video surveillance in the area to call police.

Tips also may be submitted anonymously through Delaware Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards, at 800-847-3333 or www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.

Girl, 16, struck by truck in Hockessin, in critical condition