State police troopers in Delaware shot and killed a Milford man in a shootout on Sunday after the individual, allegedly climbed an electrical tower and shot at police officials after he was sought in the slaying of a 22-year-old woman and the arson of his ex-wife's Stanton home.
According to police, the incident that spread through miles of Delaware began at about 9:41 a.m. on Sunday when troopers were dispatched to a gas station along the 400 block of Main Street in Stanton on a report of man armed with a gun at a home nearby.
Shortly after that call, officials said they reported, along with fire crews, to a fire at a home along the 1700 block of Limestone Road. Upon arrival at that location, first responders found a 22-year-old woman -- later identified as 22-year-old Alondra Quinonez of Wilmington, Delaware -- who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach, police officials said.
Despite life-saving efforts, Quinonez was pronounced at the scene.
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An investigation into this shooting, officials said, revealed that a 57-year-old Milford man -- who officials identified as 57-year-old Francisco Vasquez of Milford, Delaware -- had forcibly entered that home, which belonged to his ex-wife, and fired shots at the occupants inside.
Quinonez was struck and, officials said, a 20-year-old man inside the home escaped injury.
The unharmed victim of the shooting ran to the nearby gas station on Main Street to make the call before officials arrived at the house fire, police said.
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After the shooting, law enforcement officials believe Vasquez set fire to the home and fled in a vehicle.
Vasquez's vehicle was later found traveling in the area of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, officials said.
Once contacted by police, law enforcement officials claim, Vasquez climbed onto the lower level of a high-tension electrical tower near the canal. And, though troopers attempted to negotiate with Vasquez for "several hours," officials said he ultimately fired his weapon at troopers and three of them fired back, killing Vasquez.
Vasquez, police said, was pronounced at the scene.
An investigation into this incident is ongoing and, officials said, the troopers who fired their service weapons have been put on administrative leave pending a use of force investigation.
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