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Delaware

Hundreds take to streets and boardwalks in Delaware for ‘Hands Off!’ protests

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Hundreds take to streets and boardwalks in Delaware for ‘Hands Off!’ protests


Crowds gathered Saturday in Wilmington, Rehoboth Beach and other Delaware towns to protest actions by the Trump administration as part of a nationwide “Hands Off!” protest movement.

Over 1,000 planned “Hands Off!” rallies were planned across the country on Saturday, including on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to protest the Trump Administration’s financial cuts to multiple federal programs

In Delaware, protests against Trump and other figures like Elon Musk are not new. Rehoboth Beach and Newark have seen almost weekly protests since January.

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On Saturday, Nearly 1,000 people gathered in downtown Rehoboth Beach and hundreds in Wilmington to protest the administration.

“They’re taking everything they can get their hands on—our health care, our data, our jobs, our services—and daring the world to stop them. This is a crisis, and the time to act is now,” the “Hands Off!” Rehoboth Beach event website says.

Protests also took place in Newark, Dover, Salisbury and Ocean City, Maryland.

Teenager organizes Wilmington protest in 24 hours

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Gemma Calabria, a 17-year-old from Wilmington, felt compelled to hit the pavement on Saturday. When she saw that there was no protest scheduled in the city, she did it herself.

A day later, more than 200 people of all ages peacefully gathered at Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington. She cannot vote, but she still felt like she could make a difference.

“Not everyone is able to go to Dover or Newark or Philly, so giving people a chance to come to their local rally, I think is really important,” she said Saturday.

Among the 200 people was Coby Owens, a new Wilmington city council member who stood in the middle of the crowd with a megaphone. He led chants that echoed throughout downtown and could be heard for blocks. He said he was impressed with the quick turnout and appreciated the diversity of the crowd.

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“This is just the community coming together, working together to say, ‘We’re not backing down, we’re not going anywhere, and that people here, matter,” Owens said.

Residents of the city at the protest were there for a variety of reasons, but the newly enforced tariffs and their affect on the domestic and global economy was a common theme.

Also in the crowd with a sign reading “veterans deserve better” held by Jack Herbert, a veteran from the city who was protesting potential cuts to Veteran Affairs.

He said the system may be flawed, but without people on the low level answering questions and guiding people through complicated processes and paperwork, veterans could be at a disadvantage.

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“What he’s doing is cutting the legs out from the VA, even by pulling even a minimal amount of people is going to affect some veterans somewhere,” he said.

Jack Cunningham, former New Castle County Police Chief, and his wife Mary Ann brought their 3-year-old granddaughter Sadie, who was in a wheelchair. They said cuts to Medicaid could affect her access to wheelchairs in the future. Their sign read “Hands off my wheelchair!”

Thousands hit the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach protest

Protesters have been lining Coastal Highway in front of Walmart in Rehoboth every Saturday morning for weeks now. They were there again this week before moving to the bandstand at Rehoboth Avenue and the boardwalk for a rally, organized by Indivisible Southern Delaware.

Attendees were led in songs like “God Bless America” and “Do You Hear the People Sing?” before Indivisible Southern Delaware’s Cheryl Siskin introduced a slate of speakers, including representatives from St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Rehoboth and the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware. Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall (D-Rehoboth Beach) also spoke.

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After the rally, protesters marched south on the boardwalk before dispersing.



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Delaware

Wilmington mother seeks justice 3 years after son’s murder in Philadelphia

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Wilmington mother seeks justice 3 years after son’s murder in Philadelphia


WILMINGTON, Del. (WPVI) — Three years after her son was fatally shot in West Philadelphia, Kameelah Torrance is still searching for answers and justice.

Samyr Walker, 19, was killed on September 4, 2022, while delivering food in his mother’s car. Torrance said Walker’s own vehicle had broken down the night before, prompting him to borrow hers to earn extra money.

“I get a phone call, I’m thinking it’s him,” Torrance recalled.

Philadelphia police said the shooting occurred around 1:45 p.m. at the Chick-A-Boom restaurant drive-thru on 46th Street and Lancaster Avenue. While waiting for his food, Walker reportedly had an interaction with another driver.

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“What I’m guessing is maybe he was on his phone and he accidentally tapped the bumper, which is what happened,” Torrance said.

Police said the altercation escalated when gunshots were fired from the suspect’s car as Walker exited his vehicle to retrieve his order. A passenger in Walker’s car also returned fire. Authorities believe the motive was road rage.

According to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, detectives located the vehicle believed to be involved and interviewed both the owner and the reported driver. However, no arrests have been made.

The DA’s office said it has extended victim support services to Walker’s family and the affected community.

Torrance described her son, affectionately called “Meer Meer,” as “a very happy-go-lucky kid.”

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“Every time you see him, he was always smiling, silly, liked to have fun, very family oriented,” said Torrance.

She said the lack of closure has made the loss even harder to bear.

“No closure, sleepless nights, it’s just been horrible,” she said. “It’s not fair that my son is gone and you’re walking around free, freely doing whatever. His life was cut short.”

Torrance said she still texts Walker’s phone number and mourns the future he was denied.

“He won’t be able to get married, have children, become something of himself. He was robbed of that and it’s not fair,” she said.

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Police say the investigation remains active and ongoing. Torrance and law enforcement are urging anyone with information to come forward.

Copyright © 2025 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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*Update – Victim Identified* State Police Investigating Fatal Crash in Dover – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

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*Update – Victim Identified* State Police Investigating Fatal Crash in Dover – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware


Date Posted: Sunday, September 14th, 2025

Delaware State Police have identified 14-year-old Reis Yoc-Santos, of Dover, Delaware, as the teenager who died in the fatal crash involving a school bus and an electric bicycle that occurred Friday afternoon in Dover.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has relevant information is asked to contact Master Corporal W. Booth at (302) 698-8451. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and need assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.

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14-year-old boy dead, one teen hospitalized after e-bike runs stop sign, collides with bus in Delaware

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14-year-old boy dead, one teen hospitalized after e-bike runs stop sign, collides with bus in Delaware


A tragic crash involving a school bus and an electric bicycle claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy in Dover.

Deadly collision with bus 

What we know:

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The crash happened around 4 p.m. on West Lebanon Road as a school bus was turning onto Royal Grant Way, according to police. The electric bicycle, ridden by a 16-year-old with a 14-year-old passenger, did not stop at a posted bicycle stop sign and collided with the bus.

The 14-year-old passenger of the e-bike was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The 16-year-old operator suffered serious injuries. Neither of the teenagers were wearing a helmet, police said.

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The bus was affiliated with the Caesar Rodney School District and driven by a 75-year-old man from Magnolia, who was not injured. Twenty-one students on the bus were unharmed.

The road was closed for about four hours for investigation by the Delaware State Police Troop 3 Collision Reconstruction Unit. The investigation is still ongoing.

Ongoing questions for authorities

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Authorities are urging anyone with information about the crash to come forward. Witnesses can contact Master Corporal W. Booth or send a message to the Delaware State Police.

If you have information, reach out to Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333. Victims and witnesses needing support can contact the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit at 1-800-VICTIM-1.

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