WILDWOOD – Wildwood Police Department (WPD) announced, Sept. 13, that a suspect in a stabbing incident in Wildwood, Sept. 10, was still at large and considered armed and dangerous.
A Wildwood woman who was evacuated by the Cape May County Regional SWAT Team was sitting at her kitchen table Sunday evening as the Eagles game was ending when she heard banging on the door of her Poplar Avenue apartment. The person doing the banging was ultimately identified as the victim of the stabbing.
Doris Walsh, 70, was home alone and was frightened when she heard someone pounding on her door. She got up and braced herself against the door.
“I was holding my door and she was trying to get into my house,” Walsh said. “I was screaming, ‘Get out of my house!’”
The woman on the other side of the door cried out, “I’m all stabbed up!”
Frightened, Walsh did not let the woman in, not knowing who might be behind her, but instead called 911. She said the Wildwood Police Department responded almost immediately, but the woman had gone.
“(The police) were asking me where she went and I didn’t know,” Walsh said. “She was found around the corner.”
Walsh said the police knocked on the door of the apartment downstairs but did not get an immediate answer.
Wildwood Police Department released information, Sept. 13, saying they were called at approximately 8:55 p.m., Sept. 10, and told a woman had been stabbed at a residence at 100 W. Poplar Ave, Wildwood. The police, along with Wildwood Fire Department, arrived and located the victim approximately two blocks away with multiple puncture wounds to her upper body. Police said Wildwood Rescue immediately performed life-saving measures and transported the victim to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center due to the seriousness of her injuries.
Police determined that a possible suspect was barricaded inside Apartment 1A at 100 W. Poplar Ave. Members of the SWAT Team responded and set up a multiblock perimeter to ensure public safety.
According to Walsh, who was evacuated from her apartment, the Wildwood Police Department had closed off the streets from 26th Avenue to Maple Avenue, as well as Pacific to Park avenues. Walsh said she had nowhere to go and the police did not permit her to take her car. Because she had her cell phone with her, she was able to call a friend to come and get her.
Police said members of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Crisis Negotiation Team were called to assist with the investigation. According to Walsh, after the police determined they had an individual barricaded in the apartment, and with the county resources requested, at least two tactical vehicles pulled up to the building, shined lights on the residence, and made repeated requests for the occupants to come out.
“That went on for an hour and a half,” Walsh said.
The police said a person eventually exited the apartment safely and was detained while being questioned. The Wildwood Police Department Detective Division and Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office obtained a search warrant and recovered DNA evidence, which was collected and submitted for analysis.
As a result of this investigation, law enforcement is searching for a suspect identified as Terrance Dore, 43, of Wildwood. The police said as of their announcement multiple agencies were actively searching for Dore, who they considered armed and dangerous. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. Police said Dore is suspected to have a significant eye injury at this time.
Walsh described the events as “the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
She said the police response involved what she described as looking like a “motor home,” an armored vehicle, and drones scanning the area. She said she thought everything would be over in about an hour, but she was not able to return home until about 4 a.m. the next day, about seven hours after the police responded. Police posted via Facebook that the area was cleared about 1:50 a.m.
“I’ve never had problems like this – ever,” Walsh said.
Dore is currently being charged with first-degree criminal attempt to commit murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree possession of a weapon.
Anyone with information concerning Dore’s location should contact the Wildwood Police Department at 609-522-0222.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
