Wilmington police have identified the woman shot dead in Chester by police as 23-year-old Yazmyn Stewart of Wilmington.
The whole incident remains under investigation by the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office. That office has said nothing about that probe.
Police gave this account:
Wilmington police spotted Stewart — who was wanted in relation to a shooting on Dec. 2 — on Tuesday shortly before noon in the 300 block of North Madison Street.
In her vehicle, Stewart “attempted to evade police and rammed multiple marked Wilmington police vehicles” before fleeing onto I-95 northbound into Pennsylvania. At some point, Delaware state troopers joined the pursuit.
Stewart crashed her car at the on ramp on Market Street in Upper Chichester then carjacked an SUV and got back on the highway headed north. It was unclear whether that SUV driver was injured, and if anyone else was in that vehicle.
During the time at the Market Street ramp, she fired at police and Delaware State troopers returned fire.
The chase continued northbound into Chester where Stewart rolled the SUV into the back of a house on Kerlin Street.
“Following a home invasion, the suspect entered a third vehicle and attempted to flee,” according to the account.
By that point, police had caught up and there were 10 officers who opened fire. It’s unclear if Stewart shot first or had attempted to drive away when the officers opened fire.
Police have not specified how many shots were fired but photos show the shell casing markers at the scene reached at least into the 60s.
For hours after the incident, Interstate 95 was closed in both directions between the Blue Route and the Commodore Barry Bridge.
One Wilmington officer was transported to the hospital for evaluation of a minor injury. There are no other known injuries to first responders or members of the public.
Upper Chichester police added these details Wednesday:
On Market Street Stewart’s car crashed into a guide rail.
Stewart ran toward a business at 2101 Market St.
Stewart then carjacked a male victim at gunpoint who was sitting in his vehicle, a GMC Yukon. He suffered minor injuries.
Market Street in the area of Interstate 95 was closed for several hours for the investigation.
