NEWARK, DE — A 24-year-old man from Greensboro, North Carolina, is facing multiple felony charges following a late-night incident at a Newark hotel in which gunfire was reported and guests were allegedly threatened, according to the Delaware State Police.
Authorities responded to the Sonesta ES Suites at 240 Chapman Road at approximately 10:45 p.m. on Monday, August 4, 2025, after receiving a report of shots fired. When troopers arrived, they observed a man fleeing from the hotel parking lot into nearby woods. The suspect—identified as Messiah Bernavil—was reportedly armed with a small knife visible in his waistband and did not comply with verbal commands from officers. Troopers deployed a Taser to subdue him and took him into custody without further incident.
The investigation revealed that prior to the confrontation, Bernavil had allegedly been waving a handgun inside his hotel room, where a 33-year-old woman, a 52-year-old woman, and two young children—a nine-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl—were present. When the victims attempted to leave, police say Bernavil restrained the 52-year-old woman and then discharged the firearm multiple times inside the room…