February 10, 2016
A preliminary investigation into a fatal police-involved shooting in Chester found that six officers were justified for opening fire on a man who led them on a motor vehicle chase, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan announced Wednesday at a press conference.
Whelan said Shalamar Longer, 33, pointed a loaded gun at police after leading them on a chase that began early Monday in Upland, moved to I-95 and culminated on the 1200 block of Keystone Road in Chester, 6ABC.com reported. There, Whelan said Longer jumped from the 2004 Chevrolet Blazer he was driving and pulled a firearm.
Longer died on the scene. Asmar Longer, Shalamar's 23-year-old cousin, was a passenger in the vehicle, Whelan said. He also jumped out of the vehicle, was struck by a bullet in the ankle and fainted.
Neighbors near the scene told The Philadelphia Inquirer that they heard as many as 50 to 100 gunshots. One resident told the newspaper that there were so many shell-casing evidence markers on the ground that the area "looked like a miniature graveyard."
Shalamar Longer has a long criminal history. Whelan said he reportedly told his cousin that he was "not going back to jail" before pointing the handgun at officers, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.
"That speaks volumes, that he's not going back to jail," Whelan told reporters. "The reasonable interpretation is that I'm going to do whatever I can not to go back to jail, including killing police officers."
Whelan said his office will continue investigating the incident.
