By Joanna Putman
Police1
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — Fairfax County police have released body camera footage of a fatal shooting in which a woman attacked an officer with a knife, leading to a fatal officer-involved shooting, WTOP reported.
The incident took place on Sept. 16 when police were called to conduct a welfare check on a 33-year-old woman who was in an “agitated state,” according to the report.
Body camera footage shows an officer knocking on the woman’s door at her apartment complex. The woman initially opened the door, but quickly shut it as the officer identified himself.
When the officer knocked a second time, the woman opened the door and immediately attacked, slashing at him with a knife and striking him in the head.
The officer ordered her to stop, but the woman continued advancing, forcing him to back into a dead-end hallway. As she charged toward him, the officer fired three shots to stop the attack.
Despite emergency personnel’s efforts to render aid, the woman was later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the report. The officer sustained a non-life-threatening head wound and is currently on restricted duty while both a criminal investigation and an internal affairs review are conducted.
Fairfax Police Chief Kevin Davis praised the officer’s efforts to de-escalate the situation before being forced to open fire.
| Ready to boost your expertise? Sign up for our police webinar and connect with industry leaders as they share strategies for success.
