Millville, DE – Two former volunteer firefighters with the Millville Volunteer Fire Company were arrested this week after police say they allegedly chased a coworker with a rope shaped like a noose during a racially charged incident at the fire station in early 2024.
Jay Droney, 27, of Millville, and Jordan Hastings, 23, of Delmar, are facing felony charges following a Delaware State Police investigation into the previously unreported event.
According to Delaware State Police, Troop 4 Major Crimes Detectives were contacted April 9 by fire company leadership regarding the February 2024 incident at the station on Atlantic Avenue. Investigators determined that Droney and Hastings allegedly chased a fellow fire company employee through the building with a rope tied into a noose while Droney made a racist comment. Droney also allegedly made additional racist remarks to the victim in later interactions.
Both men were no longer active with the fire company at the time the investigation began, officials confirmed.
Following the investigation, detectives obtained arrest warrants for the former firefighters on April 15. Droney and Hastings turned themselves in later that day at Troop 4 in Georgetown. Each was charged with felony hate crime, felony second-degree conspiracy, and harassment. They were arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3 and released on their own recognizance.
Delaware State Police encouraged anyone who may have experienced similar incidents to come forward and report them to authorities.
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