Selbyville teen pleads guilty to attempted murder

An 18-year-old Selbyville man has pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted murder and using a firearm to commit a felony after shooting his 25-year-old neighbor in the head.

Devon Gordon faces a maximum sentence of life in prison plus 25 years and must serve at least 18 years behind bars. Gordon is scheduled to be sentenced in Delaware Superior Court Friday, Oct. 10.

On Oct. 1, 2013, Gordon left his home on Hosier Street at 3 a.m. to meet his neighbor, Lauren Banks. Gordon and Banks were in a Jeep parked outside Banks’ home when he shot her in the head, Delaware State Police Master Cpl. Gary Fournier said.

A 49-year-old man living with Gordon and Gordon's mother heard a gunshot followed by banging at the front door. While the man investigated what happened, Fournier said, he heard another gunshot and discovered a bullet had shattered the glass in the back door.

The man saw Gordon outside the home pointing a gun at him, Fournier said. He disarmed Gordon, who then went inside the home and got a second gun from upstairs.

Gordon's mother screamed to the man, who was able to wrestle the gun away from Gordon for a second time, but not before a gunshot was fired, narrowly missing the man, Fournier said.

Meanwhile, Banks’ father came to her aid until paramedics arrived. She was flown for treatment at Christiana Medical Center.

Gordon’s attorney, Rob Robinson, said: “This is an extremely tragic case,” adding that Gordon had just turned 18 hours before the shooting. Gordon sported long hair at the time of his arrest but has since cut his hair short, making him look even younger than 18.

Gordon’s mother, father, aunt and sister were all present in the courtroom, with Gordon’s mother and sister weeping as Gordon entered in a white jumpsuit and leg irons.