Police share bodycam video of VA woman shot after attacking cop with knife

Newly released bodycam footage revealed the moment an officer shot and killed a woman during a welfare check in Reston, Virginia, in September. The Fairfax County Police Department identified the woman as 33-year-old Sydney Wilson.

The footage, released by the department on Monday, Oct. 14, captured the confrontation that took place on Sept. 16.

Officer Peter Liu, a 14-year veteran of the department, who is trained in crisis intervention, had responded to a welfare check requested by a mental health professional.

According to Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, the encounter escalated into what he described as an unprovoked and violent knife attack. The video shows Liu arriving at the apartment complex and knocking on the door.

After several attempts, Wilson eventually opened the door but slammed it shut in his face. A few minutes later, Wilson reopened the door, this time holding a knife.

She slashed officer Liu across the face. Despite repeated commands from the officer for Wilson to back away, she continued to advance, trapping him in a narrow hallway. Liu then fired his weapon, striking Wilson three times. She was pronounced dead later at the hospital.

Officer Liu sustained slash wounds to his face and was treated at a hospital for his injuries.

Chief Davis defended Liu’s actions, explaining that the officer followed his training by attempting to maintain distance and seek cover. However, David emphasized that Liu was left with no other options. The chief also noted that a mental health co-responder, who typically assists in such situations, was unavailable at the time due to being on another call.

David states that even if help had been present, the situation could still have posed a significant risk to all involved.

As the investigation continued, Liu was placed on restrictive duty and reassigned to another department.

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