A $6,000 reward is being offered for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the defacement of a New Castle County police memorial last weekend.
The Lt. Joseph Szczerba memorial sign, which honors the slain officer, was defaced with red spray paint. A red “X” was sprayed over the center of the sign along with words expressing anti-police sentiments.
It was discovered Monday.
Police ask residents in the area to review any video surveillance they might have between Aug. 31 at 8 a.m. and Sept. 2 at 9:35 a.m. for possible “suspicious activity.”
Who was Lt. Joseph Szczerba and what happened?
Szczerba, 44, was fatally stabbed by David Salasky on Sept. 16, 2011. Szczerba was responding to a report of a person breaking into cars in the Penn Acres neighborhood at the time.
Salasky ran from Szczerba, who had gotten out of his patrol car to chase Salasky. When Szczerba caught the man, Salasky stabbed the lieutenant repeatedly with a knife he had stolen earlier from a vehicle, wounding Szczerba in the neck. He later died from his injuries.
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Salasky, who was high on the drug known as “bath salts,” later claimed he stabbed Szczerba because he thought Szczerba was growing fangs.
He was sentenced to two life terms plus 157 years.
Where to send tips
Tips about the vandalism can be called in to the county police’s nonemergency number at 302-573-2800 or its criminal investigation unit at 302-395-8110. They can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 800-TIP-3333 or online at delawarecrimestoppers.com.
Tipsters can remain anonymous.
Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_