Milford man shot dead after knife incident

A Milford man was shot and killed May 1 after police say he charged officers with a knife near Cool Springs.

The incident happened about 4 p.m. after Delaware State Police received several 9-1-1 calls about a red Ford F-150 driving slowly and swerving into the opposite lanes along Route 9 and Harbeson Road, and driving on the shoulder, police said.

Troopers located the truck on Coolspring Road near Fisher Road and tried to pull the vehicle over, but the driver, Gregory Painter, 44, continued to drive along area roads, police said. The truck eventually stopped in a driveway in the 28000 block of West Springside Drive in the community of Cool Spring Farms.

Police said Painter got out of the truck holding a knife and ran into a nearby home that he does not live in, which was occupied at the time. Painter then exited the home, still holding the knife, and ignored officers’ commands to drop the knife, police said. When Painter continued to advance toward troopers, police said, two of them discharged their divisionally issued handguns, striking the man.

Troopers immediately rendered first aid until emergency medical services arrived, police said, and Painter was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Following Delaware State Police standard operating procedures, the involved troopers have been placed on administrative leave pending a use-of-force investigation in conjunction with the Delaware Department of Justice.

The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit asks anyone with information regarding this case to contact Det. B. McDerby at 302-741-2821, or call Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.