A Northern Virginia police officer shot and killed a 6-foot-5, 330-pound woman who was slashed in the face after she continued to advance toward the officer despite multiple warnings to stop, police said.
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said the officer's body camera was activated Monday morning at the Reston Heights Apartments in the 11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive. He told WDVM-TV.
The woman fell to the ground after the shooting and was seriously injured and paramedics took her to a hospital where she later died, the station said.
The woman's medical provider asked to check on her well-being, Davis said at a news conference, adding that when the uniformed officer identified himself, the woman slammed the door in the officer's face.
According to WDVM, the chief added that officers continued to knock on the door to call for help for the woman, and a few minutes later, the woman opened the door armed with a knife.
Davis said the woman, who has had multiple encounters with police this year, attacked officers with a knife, slashing an officer in the face at least once, the station reported.
Body camera footage shows the officer reposition and step back several feet before the woman moves toward the officer and slashes him, the police chief told WDVM.
David described the 33-year-old woman as 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 330 pounds, the station reported.
According to WDVM, officers told the woman at least eight times to drop the knife and stop, but she continued to advance toward the officers. Davis said at a press conference that officers fired multiple shots.
The woman fell to the ground after the shooting and was seriously injured and paramedics took her to a hospital where she later died, the station said.
According to WDVM, Chief Davis said he expects the officer to recover from his injuries, adding that the woman has family and friends and that he and his officers are heartbroken over the loss of life.
The incident was the second fatal shooting at the apartment building in about a month, according to the department.
“Obviously it's unsettling to see the police here again,” Marvin Somoza told WDVM. “You want to feel safe where you live, so I think a lot of tenants are feeling unsafe right now.”
The chief said he plans to review all of the body camera footage and release it within 30 days, the department reported.
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