Delco D.A.: Chester Shooting Justified, Suspect Pointed Gun at Cops

DA Jack Whelan says man killed by police in Chester waved a loaded gun at police. 6 officers fired shots. pic.twitter.com/SDmH8vmjLS

— Laura Benshoff (@LEBenshoff) February 10, 2016

Delaware County D.A. Jack Whelan said today that officers were justified Monday when they fired 100 rounds at a man who had eluded them during a police chase.

The Delaware County Daily Times reports that Shalamar Longer led officers in an early Monday chase after they tried to stop him for a burned-out license plate light. When the vehicle, a Chevy Blazer, was brought to a stop in Chester, Whelan said, Longer jumped out and pointed a loaded gun at his pursuers.

He died in the ensuing hail of bullets, fired by six officers. A cousin who accompanied him, Asmar Longer, was wounded.

Whelan said Asmar told investigators that his cousin had vowed “‘he was not going back to jail’ … under any circumstances, apparently.”

Shalamar Longer was on parole at the time of the encounter.

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