Officials identified a Delaware woman who was shot and killed by police following a shootout with state troopers and multiple crashes during a chase that spanned two states.
The ordeal began Tuesday, May 14, shortly before noon when police responded to the 300 block of North Madison Street in Wilmington, Delaware. The officers were attempting to arrest Yazmyn Stewart, a 23-year-old woman who was wanted in connection to a shooting that occurred back on Dec. 2, 2023, on the 500 block of West 8th Street in Wilmington.
When officers spotted Stewart, she attempted to flee and crashed her vehicle into multiple Wilmington police cars before continuing onto I-95 northbound into Pennsylvania, investigators said. Both Wilmington Police and Delaware State Police pursued her.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
The chase continued into Chichester, Pennsylvania, where Stewart crashed her vehicle, took out a gun and fired at the pursuing officers, investigators said. Two Delaware State troopers fired back at Stewart, according to officials.
Police said Stewart then got out of her car and stole a black SUV. She drove into Chester, Pennsylvania, where she crashed into a home along the 1200 block of Kerlin Street, investigators said.
Stewart then broke into the home while Sabrina Briscoe, her daughter and another relative were inside, officials said.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"We're like, 'Yo! What you doing? You tripping! Get out! Get out!' And stuff like that," Briscoe told NBC10. "She's like, 'Ma'am, I ain't got no guns on me. No nothing. Just help me. Just help me and all this stuff.' I'm like, 'Yo, you gotta go. We got a baby in here.'"
Briscoe said Stewart then stole their gun as well as their vehicle, a maroon car. Three Wilmington Police officers, five Delaware state troopers, a Trainer Borough Police officer and a Chester Police officer then pulled out their weapons and fired at Stewart, killing her.
SkyForce10 then captured a SWAT vehicle ramming into the maroon car, which was riddled with bullets. The responding officers then pulled Stewart's body out of the vehicle.
While police haven't revealed how many shots were fired at Stewart, there were more than 100 evidence markers at the crime scene.
After the shooting, Candy Chapman, who claims to be Stewart's mother, approached police officers and yelled, "Where is my daughter?! Where is my daughter?!"
“She was one person,” Chapman told NBC10 while in tears. “A young, beautiful Black lady. And they shot her car up, over a hundred shots at her car. One person. Why?! And shot her 17 times. Why?!”
A Wilmington Police officer suffered a minor injury during the incident and was taken to the hospital for an evaluation. No other injuries were reported.
The Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and the Wilmington Police Department Criminal Investigations Division and the Office of Professional Standards are currently investigating the incident.
The Wilmington Police officers who shot and killed Stewart were placed on administrative duty pending the investigation.
The Delaware NAACP also confirmed with NBC10 they're investigating the incident as well.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
