8 People Shot During Violent Week in Wilmington, Delaware

WILMINGTON, Delaware (WPVI) -- Eight people have been shot in Wilmington Delaware since Tuesday night, including four in the same neighborhood.

Police say the violence started Tuesday night on North Locust St. and Vandever Ave when 34-year-old Francis Miller was shot and killed.

Neighbors say before Miller was shot, he had tried to confront someone who was setting off firecrackers on the street because one of them almost hit his baby.

"He was a good guy, he was the wrong person who they killed," said his friend, who spoke to Action News at the corner where loved ones set up a vigil in honor of Miller.

The city of Wilmington says the only types of legal fireworks are sparklers and ground fireworks and you must be 18 to set them off. Neighbors say the people responsible are younger than that.

Police say they are investigating the shooting and that this is the same spot where three more people were shot early Friday morning.

Investigators would not say whether the shootings are related, but neighbors believe they are.

A total eight people have been shot in Wilmington since Tuesday; police have put extra patrols at the spot where Miller was killed.

The pastor at New Destiny Fellowship, which is a block away from where the shootings happened, says this neighborhood will need a lot more than that to heal.

"We have to get to the point where we have great schools and we have great jobs and that young people get to the point where there is hope for them," said Pastor Thomas Weeks.

The pastor says his church is doing its part to help with events like a free food drive Friday morning. He says a lot of factors go into neighborhood violence and he thinks one of the solutions is engaging young people.

"These issues have to be addressed for our community. If you want to see violence end in our community, then you have to take your foot off of our neck," he said.

Police say they are looking into the fireworks issues in the neighborhood.

The pastor says he's working with the state to get more programs and resources for the community.