A 19-year-old Pennsylvania woman — described by friends as a “beautiful soul” — was murdered Thursday by a 29-year-old man who police said waged a violent crime spree across Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood that ended when officers shot him to death.
During a press conference last week, a police spokesperson called Stanley Cochran a “deranged individual who was on a rampage” involving a stolen car, a fatal attempted carjacking, and a shootout with police.
According to police, Cochran’s alleged crimes began Thursday morning at around 4 a.m., when he pointed a rifle at a woman inside an episcopal church.
Cochran allegedly shot his gun at the woman, who worked at the church, but she was not hit. He fled with her keys and stole her car, later crashing it, police said.
It was at this point Cochran allegedly attempted to carjack a passing vehicle, firing several shots at that car. The female driver was not injured, and managed to speed away.
Police allege he then opened fire in an Infiniti being driven by Skylar Owen.
She and a male passenger were struck by the bullets. Police said the male passenger was able to escape to safety, and Cochran fled on foot.
Police arrived to find Owen behind the wheel, and rushed her to the nearest hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Officers located Cochran not long after, and allege he pointed an assault rifle at them firing once.
The bullet hit a police car, and the officers inside exited and returned gunfire.
According to police, Cochran attempted to flee in a police car, but was unable to find the keys once he made his way inside.
Cochran emerged from the vehicle, and started walking down the street, still wielding his gun. He was ordered to drop his weapon, and refused. Police opened fire, striking him numerous times.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he died from his wounds.
On Friday, police revealed they received a tip that Cochran might be linked to the killings of a man and woman days earlier.
Investigators have yet to develop any physical evidence linking Cochran to that crime, police said.
Meanwhile, Owen’s friend set up a GoFundMe campaign, to help cover the costs of her upcoming funeral.
That friend, Brett Holloway, wrote on the GoFundMe page that Skylar “was a beautiful soul tragically taken from us early” and that she “had her whole life ahead of her.”
*story by People