Investigators say they used license plate reader technology to trace 23-year-old John Wallace-Bey from Wilmington Hospital to Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood, where he was arrested hours later. The Wilmington shooting killed one 19-year-old hospital co-worke
For the third time, the street looked ordinary—until it didn’t.
Around 9:30 p.m. officers and FBI agents closed in on the man authorities say carried out a deadly shooting inside Wilmington Hospital. The moment unfolded at the corner of North 9th Street and Lindley Avenue in Philadelphia. after investigators followed a trail that began far away at the hospital on Tuesday.
Police say the suspect, 23-year-old John Wallace-Bey of New Castle, was a hospital employee. Investigators allege he shot two 19-year-old co-workers inside the facility, killing one and critically wounding the other.
What happened next, according to authorities, reads like a tightening net rather than a sudden break: Wallace-Bey escaped several hours later and was arrested in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood. He is currently being held in Philadelphia and has been charged with murder.
Investigators say they believe he fled to Olney in a Toyota Rav 4, a vehicle later towed. An image obtained by Action News shows Wallace-Bey walking in the neighborhood before sources say he got into an Uber. Doorbell camera footage showed police towing the vehicle shortly after it arrived at the scene.
Officials say the turning point was their use of license plate reader technology, which led them from Wilmington Hospital to Philadelphia.
After the arrest, Wallace-Bey appeared before a Philadelphia judge, who denied bail. He now awaits extradition back to Delaware.
ChristianaCare confirmed that Wallace-Bey and the two victims were all hospital employees. Authorities have not released information about a possible motive, but investigators believe the shooting was a targeted attack.
For the people who work and live nearby, the details cut through the routine of daily life. According to Wallace-Bey’s LinkedIn page, he worked as a community tech intern at the hospital. One employee said Wallace-Bey was in her department before the shooting unfolded.
“Normal, just normal. Came in, did what he had to do and left,” the worker said.
Across the border in New Castle, John Richardson lives next door to the suspect and described feeling swallowed by disbelief.
“Just speechless that it happened. And it’s an unfortunate situation and you hate to hear. Lives were lost yesterday. So, it’s an unfortunate situation that happened,” Richardson said.
In Olney, residents reacted to the arrest with a mix of relief and anger. Terrence Thomas said, “Us as a community, we have to do better. Keeping these things from out of our community.”
Another resident said, “They got the guy. So, less crime should be on the street now.”
Action News spoke with the family of the victim who was killed. They asked for privacy at this time.
Authorities have not released further details as the investigation continues.
Wilmington Hospital shooting John Wallace-Bey Philadelphia Olney arrest license plate reader technology ChristianaCare Toyota Rav 4 North 9th Street and Lindley Avenue extradition bail denied
How do they even know it was his car if it got towed??
So they used a license plate reader like that’s normal? Next they’re gonna read your Amazon packages too. Sounds like they were already watching him.
I think it said he walked around Olney before getting into an Uber, but then they towed the Toyota RAV4? So the Uber was after the tow or before the tow? My brain hurts lol. Also no motive released yet so people are gonna guess he was just randomly mad.
Targeted attack but they don’t say why… okay but a hospital employee shooting coworkers sounds like he got fired or something. And the FBI “closed in” like they always do, but it was really the plate tech that cracked it. Idk, license readers feel creepy even if it helped catch him.