Police: Wilmington shootings in 2018 least in over 15 years

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Officials say the number of shootings in Delaware's most populous city has decreased to its fewest in more than 15 years.

Wilmington's mayor, police chief and other officials announced that gun violence in the city in 2018 was at its lowest in decades. Mayor Mike Purzycki and Chief Robert Tracy spoke at a news conference Thursday.

The police department's year-end report found that the average number of shootings was 108 from 2003 through 2017, and those in 2018 represent a 33 percent decrease over the 15-year period average.

Last year 79 people were shot in Wilmington, and 19 of them died.

Purzycki says he hopes the "Murder Town" moniker a Newsweek article gave Wilmington can change to "Turnaround Town," if the trend continues.