Police: Homicide victim jumped off balcony trying to escape man who gunned her down

After their relationship ended earlier this week, a woman stopped by a man’s apartment in southeast Wichita on Wednesday afternoon to return a few of his things.

But police say something happened at Brookwood Apartments that prompted Emily Sonneman, 24, to start screaming and jump from a second-floor balcony in an effort to flee. Her ex-boyfriend, Dion Stevens, 26, chased her through the parking lot, firing numerous shots at her.

Sonneman was hit multiple times by bullets and collapsed in the parking lot, 60 to 70 yards from where she had jumped off the balcony, Wichita police Lt. Todd Ojile said Thursday. Officers responding to 911 calls of a shooting at the complex at 1770 S. Rock Road just before 2:20 p.m. were able to talk to Sonneman before she was transported to Wesley Medical Center.

She identified her shooter and witnesses told officers where he fled after the shooting, Ojile said. Officers forced their way into Stevens’ apartment, where they found him dead from a single, self-inflicted gunshot.

Sonneman died at Wesley at 3:33 p.m., Ojile said. The couple had dated for eight to nine months, he said.

“It’s still unclear what happened” in the apartment to prompt Sonneman to scream and leap off the balcony, Ojile said.

Police have no history of domestic violence involving the couple, he said.

Sonneman is the 12th homicide victim of the year in Wichita, Ojile said.

This story was originally published July 7, 2016 at 7:46 AM with the headline "Police: Homicide victim jumped off balcony trying to escape man who gunned her down."