DA: Officer justified in deadly shooting at Malvern townhome
MALVERN, Pa. - The Chester County District Attorney's Office on Thursday determined that an officer who shot and killed an armed woman during a wellness check at a townhome in Malvern last month was justified in using lethal force, according to a release.
The investigation stems from an incident on the 800 block of Charleston Green on May 19. Officers from the Malvern Police Department were dispatched to a townhome just after 11 a.m. for reports of a woman experiencing a mental health crisis.
According to the D.A.'s investigation, a person called 911 to report that they had received an email that was interpreted as a suicide letter. When the 911 caller told the person in distress that police were notified to conduct a safety check, police said she responded "No, they will not. Go on Twitter."
When officers from the Malvern Police Department responded to the home, investigators say they were immediately met by a screaming woman who had a gun in one hand and a cell phone in the other.
Authorities investigating deadly officer-involved shooting at Malvern townhome, DA says
Authorities in Delaware County are investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting Thursday, according to the district attorney's office. The fatal shooting happened when a wellness check escalated to a shooting, officials said.
Investigators say the woman walked towards them and yelled that she was in a "crisis situation" and "get on Twitter now." According to officials, the woman indicated that the entire incident was being recorded "live on the internet."
Officers also drew their firearms during the altercation with the armed woman, investigators said. Once officer managed to get the woman to drop the gun inside the front entrance of her home, at which point police also holstered their weapons.
Officers believed the situation was successfully deescalated when the woman began walking towards police holding only her cell phone. Investigators say when the officers slowly began to walk towards her as she spoke, the woman ran back into the house and grabbed her gun.
An officer chased her into the house and a struggle over the weapon ensued, according to a press release. Investigators say the woman had her finger on the trigger and waved the gun at the officers.
Another officer entered the home and ordered the officer who was struggling with the woman to disengage, at which point investigators say the woman stood up and pointed her gun at police. The officer fired three shots from about five feet away, killing the woman, according to investigators.
A detailed account of the investigation said the entire incident was captured on police body cameras. The struggle and shooting happened in less than a minute, according to investigators.
Officials said the woman's firearm, a black Glock 19 .9mm handgun, was found to have a live round in the chamber.
Investigators 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."
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," D.A. Deb Ryan said in a press release.