Investigators say police were justified in shooting and killing a woman who was allegedly armed with a gun outside her Chester County home while having a mental health crisis last month.
Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan announced Thursday that detectives completed their investigation of the May 19 shooting in Malvern and determined it was lawful use of force by police.
“During the investigation, Chester County detectives interviewed numerous officers and witnesses and reviewed body cam footage, various police reports, 911 calls, and other evidence collected at the scene,” a spokesperson for the Chester County District Attorney’s Office wrote.
On May 19, shortly after 11 a.m., a person called 911 reporting that a woman was having a mental health crisis and had written a “goodbye” message. The caller said they had just received an email from the woman that they believed to be a suicide letter.
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The caller told the woman that police were notified to conduct a safety check. The woman responded by saying, “No, they will not. Go on Twitter,” according to investigators.
Police arrived at the woman’s home along the 800 block of Charleston Greene in Malvern for a well-being check. Officials said the officers were wearing their standard-issued uniforms and the incident was recorded on their body cameras.
When the woman spotted the officers, she began to scream and demanded to know why they were bothering her, according to investigators. Investigators said the officers spotted a gun in her right hand and a cellphone in her left hand when she opened her front door.
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The woman walked towards the officers and yelled that she was in a “crisis situation” and “get on Twitter now,” officials said. The woman also held up her phone, indicating that the entire incident was being recorded “live on the internet,” according to investigators.
Investigators said the officers were concerned for their safety, took cover, drew their weapons and called for backup.
“They repeatedly commanded her to drop her firearm, but she refused,” the spokesperson wrote. “She screamed that she had a right to own a gun. She held the firearm over her head and waved it around at certain points.”
The woman allegedly told the officers that if they dropped their guns, she would drop hers, or else she “would be scared for her life like you are.”
One of the officers then spoke with the woman and de-escalated the situation, causing her to drop her gun inside the front entrance of her home, according to investigators.
The officers then holstered their weapons and the woman began to walk toward one of them with only her cellphone in her hand.
“Believing that the situation had been diffused, the officer slowly began to walk toward her as he spoke,” the spokesperson wrote. “She then ran back into the house and grabbed the gun. Police feared she would endanger herself, them, someone in the home, or surrounding neighbors.”
One of the officers ran after the woman into her home to try to gain control of the gun and a struggle ensued, according to investigators.
“The woman had her finger on the trigger and waved the gun around at the officers,” the spokesperson wrote. “Seeing that the officer was unable to secure the weapon and believing that their lives were in danger of imminent serious bodily injury or death, another officer ordered the officer struggling with her to move away.”
The woman allegedly stood up and aimed the gun at police. An officer who was approximately five feet away opened fire and shot the woman three times.
“Life-saving measures were immediately administered by police, but the woman died shortly after,” the spokesperson wrote. “The entire incident lasted 57 seconds.”
Police said they recovered the woman’s black Glock 19, 9mm handgun and found a round in the chamber. Investigators also said they later found a picture of the woman holding a black handgun on her Twitter account with a caption that read, “Do not think I am not prepared.”
“In Pennsylvania, a law enforcement officer’s use of deadly force is governed by section 508 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code,” the spokesperson wrote. “A law enforcement officer is “justified in using deadly force only when he believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself or such other person.” 18 Pa.C.S.A. §508(a). In addition, the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers is justified to defeat the escape of a person and the person to be arrested has committed or attempted a forcible felony or is attempting to escape and possesses a deadly weapon, or otherwise indicates that he will endanger human life or inflict serious bodily injury unless arrested without delay. 18 Pa.C.A. §508(a)(1)(i)(ii).”
Investigators said it was “apparent” that the woman “proceeded to take actions that placed all officers in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury” by waving her weapon with her finger on the trigger while struggling over the gun.
“The subject created a situation where the police officer had a reasonable belief that his life, and the lives of others, were in danger of serious bodily injury or death, thereby justifying the use of deadly force according to 18 Pa. C.S.A. §508,” the spokesperson wrote.
Officials have not yet released the body camera footage to the public or revealed the woman’s identity.
