WILMINGTON, Del. — Following Attorney General Kathy Jennings and Wilmington Chief of Police Wilfredo Campos’ decision to release police body-worn camera footage related to the June 24, 2026, officer-involved shooting of 19-year old Kadir Skinner, civil rights attorney and candidate for Delaware Attorney General Dwayne Bensing released the following statement:
“The three week delay of this important footage is inexcusable and has contributed to the deterioration of public trust both between the community and the police and in the Department of Justice entrusted to investigate police incidents of excessive force. While these videos show that the officer believed Mr. Skinner “had a gun,” they also corroborate what eye-witnesses have said all along: Kadir Skinner was running from a dog. A teen is now dead because he was shot in the back by a police officer while running from a dog. This is a tragedy.
The proliferation of gun possession undermines community safety. Nonetheless, our courts have time and again reaffirmed the constitutional right to access these dangerous weapons – gun ownership and possession is not in and of itself a crime in Delaware. Because carrying a firearm is largely a legal activity—especially in a state with open carry laws—mere open possession does not create reasonable suspicion of a crime. This footage does not provide the legal justification for a police encounter, much less an arrest with the use of deadly force. As is too often the case in Black and brown communities, this needless police encounter resulted in a tragic death.
A police culture of “shoot first and ask questions later” cannot be tolerated. No person serves as judge, jury, and executioner; not even a police officer. Kadir Skinner is just one of dozens of civilian deaths at the hands of police officers investigated by Attorney General Kathy Jennings’ Department of Justice. AG Jennings has never brought criminal charges against a police officer who has dolled out the death penalty.
The deprivation of any person’s life without cause is a serious concern that undermines the public trust required to keep us all safe. Unjustified killing at the hands of public peace officers needlessly and permanently destroys families, communities, and our criminal legal system built on due process and equal protection. Their fair and impartial investigation is therefore paramount to ensure a criminal justice system that serves us all.
We need transparent answers, real accountability, and concrete reforms to ensure that this never happens again. As Attorney General, one of my first acts will be to immediately review and reform the processes used by the Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust and local law enforcement agencies to ensure that investigations of police-involved excessive force incidents are conducted as quickly and transparently as possible and that the public understands how and when each critical investigative step will occur.
I join the family of Kadir Skinner in ensuring that justice is done. We will see this investigation through.”
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Dwayne Bensing is running for Delaware Attorney General to tackle corporate greed, ensure independent government oversight, and protect our civil rights. Justice is a relay race. It’s time to pass the torch.
