Police ID Delaware woman shot dead in Chester, Pa., during standoff with multiple police
A 23-year-old Wilmington woman who was shot dead by multiple officers in Pennsylvania on Tuesday after leading police on a car chase that started in Wilmington has been identified.
Wilmington Police said Yazmyn Stewart was fatally shot by 10 officers from Delaware and Pennsylvania after a standoff in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Stewart, according to Wilmington police, was wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred in the 500 block of W. Eighth St. on Dec. 2. A 34-year-old man was wounded in that incident.
Another 34-year-old man was charged in connection with that shooting, police said in a Dec. 3 statement. That man was arraigned last week and his trial is pending.
Stewart was indicted last month in connection with the December shooting and was facing charges of first-degree assault, conspiracy and three weapons offenses.
Initial story: Delaware woman wanted in Wilmington shooting dead following standoff in Chester, Pa.
Why police decide to chase
Wilmington and Delaware State police were involved in chasing Stewart for more than 15 miles into Chester.
Delaware State Police Cpl. Amina Ali said that in every police pursuit, law enforcement is tasked with a complex decision-making process. This includes ensuring the safety of officers and the public, the severity of the offense, potential danger posed to bystanders, prevailing weather and road conditions.
"Regarding yesterday's pursuit, the decision to continue assistance from the Delaware State Police once the Wilmington Police Department's pursuit entered I-95 was made in light of Ms. Stewart's history of violent felonies and the ongoing concern for public safety," Ali said. "Ms. Stewart's actions at the outset of the pursuit, which involved crashing into multiple vehicles, raised significant alarms regarding her potential threat to public safety.
"It's pertinent to note that Ms. Stewart was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Furthermore, as the pursuit unfolded, Ms. Stewart's actions escalated the level of danger to both law enforcement and the public."
This escalation included her use of a weapon, firing shots at troopers, endangering innocent bystanders, ramming police vehicles, committing a carjacking and a home invasion, she said.
"These actions were continuously evaluated, and the evolving threat posed by Ms. Stewart, coupled with the imperative to ensure a successful resolution, led to the decision for DSP to continue supporting the pursuit," she said. "While the outcome of yesterday's pursuit is tragic, it underscores the challenges law enforcement face in balancing the imperative to uphold public safety with the need to apprehend individuals who pose significant threats to the community. Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this tragic incident."
More: He stole a New Castle County patrol car. Did police have any option but to chase?
Stewart amassed a serious criminal record in her short time as an adult — this included a previous shooting in the fall of 2020.
In that Oct. 24 incident, court records said Stewart is seen on surveillance video getting out of a Nissan Rogue and firing at an 18-year-old man who was in the 900 block of N. Pine St. She's also seen talking on her cellphone during this time.
More: 2 teens shot in Wilmington Saturday night
Investigators linked the Nissan to Stewart, according to court records. Officers arrested her in January 2021 during a traffic stop.
During that stop, court records said, a handgun used in the October shooting was found under the car seat Stewart was sitting on.
Stewart was charged with second-degree assault and two weapons offenses.
She pleaded guilty in August 2022 to assault and one weapons charge and was sentenced to three years in prison.
What police said happened Tuesday
Members of Wilmington's Drug, Organized Crime and Vice Division, Uniformed Services Division and Canine Unit responded to the 300 block of N. Madison St. just before noon Tuesday in an attempt to arrest Stewart.
Stewart, police said, evaded officers and rammed several Wilmington Police vehicles before fleeing onto I-95 northbound and into Pennsylvania. She was followed by Wilmington Police, as well as Delaware State Police.
After crossing into Pennsylvania, police said Stewart crashed her vehicle and fired a gun at police. Two Delaware State Police troopers fired back during that exchange, though Stewart was able to gain access to another vehicle and drive into Chester, police said. That's where she crashed into a structure.
Following a home invasion, Stewart got into a third vehicle and tried to flee, police said. At that time, 10 officers fired at her. They included:
Three members of the Wilmington Police Department.
Five members of the Delaware State Police.
One member of the Trainer Borough, Pennsylvania, Police Department.
One member of the Chester Police Department.
"The suspect ultimately succumbed to her injuries," David Karas, a Wilmington police spokesperson, said in a statement.
This incident is under investigation by the Delaware County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney's Office.
Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware woman killed in Chester, Pa., standoff identified by police
