Joe Biden

Shots Fired Near Vice President Joe Biden's Delaware Home

An investigation is underway after multiple gunshots were fired near the Vice President Joe Biden's Delaware home late Saturday night, the U.S. Secret Service said Sunday.

A gunman fired shots from a passing vehicle on Barley Mill Road outside the secure perimeter near the home in Greenville, Delaware, around 8:25 p.m. ET. The Vice President and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, were out for the evening at the time of the shooting, Secret Service spokesman Robert Hoback said.

Secret Service personnel witnessed the vehicle speeding away from the scene, according to Hoback.

A man in a vehicle tried to pass a New Castle County police officer, who was securing the outer perimeter of the area, about 30 minutes after the shots were fired, according to the Secret Service.

Authorities took the driver into custody for resisting arrest and he was also questioned to determine if he was involved in the shooting, investigators said.

The motorist was not charged in relation to the shooting, according to New Castle County Police.

Biden's home is several hundred yards from the main road where the shots were fired. Authorities were searching outside the Biden residence and nearby homes to determine if any rounds struck the home.

Hoback said the incident is under investigation by the Secret Service and the New Castle County Police.

Biden's office said the vice president and his wife, Jill Biden, were briefed Saturday night. President Obama was also briefed on the incident, according to a senior White House official. The office referred all other questions to the Secret Service.

On Sunday afternoon, half a dozen sport utility vehicles were parked near the entrance of the Bidens' property, providing a heavy security presence in the area. Shortly before 2 p.m., a motorcade of several more SUVs arrived at the house. It was unclear whether the vice president was in any of the vehicles.

Biden planned to speak Monday in Wilmington at the Organization of Minority Women's 31st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast.

The Bidens spend many weekends at their Delaware home, and, while he served in the Senate, Biden frequently made a daily commute from Delaware to Washington by train.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us