RESTON, WA - Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight. That was the lesson learned by a Reston woman Monday when she was shot and killed by a Fairfax County, WA. police officer after she slashed him in the face with a knife, NBC-4 Washington reports.
The incident began when police were dispatched to Sunrise Valley Dr. in Reston for a check welfare call due to concerns over mental health, Chief of Police Kevin Davis said. An officer with many years of experience trained in crisis intervention tried speaking to the woman. However, she attacked him after being non-compliant with officers, he said.
Authorities did not immediately release the woman’s name, only to say she was 33 years old and had several prior incidents with authorities related to mental health concerns. The officer, who was not identified, was taken to the hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
Police were dispatched to the woman’s apartment after being contacted by her mental health provider, who asked police for a welfare check, Davis said.
Arriving officers knocked on the door, which she briefly opened. She then slammed it in their face. Officers persisted, however, and she opened the door, then attacked the officer and slashed him in the face. The officer stepped back to gain distance and issued verbal commands for the woman to step back.
“Back up! Back up! Please back up!” the officer said, according to Davis.
She “kept coming and coming and coming,” at which time the officer opened fire, Davis said. She was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
“The loss of life is something we all regret,” Davis said.
A neighbor who witnessed the officer being removed from the building said he appeared distraught.
“He just looked very shook. Frightened. Hopefully he’s OK,” he said.
NBC-4 said the scene showed a “very heavy police presence” after the incident.
Davis assured reporters that the officer had been trained in crisis de-escalation.
“We don’t have an answer for someone who attacks a police officer by cutting him in the face with a knife,” Davis said. “This officer protected himself. Arguably, he protected other residents as well."
Police recovered the knife used by the woman, a kitchen knife with a pink handle, according to an X post.
The investigation is ongoing, police said, and the officer involved has been placed on routine administrative leave, which is standard practice in deadly use of force cases.
Davis noted that the entire incident was captured on body cameras, and the footage will be available soon.
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