Fairfax County police fatally shoot woman who slashed officer with knife

A welfare check in Fairfax County, Virginia, went awry Monday after police said an officer shot and killed a woman who slashed his face with a knife.

Police Chief Kevin Davis said the 33-year-old woman, who hasn't been identified, lunged at the officer Monday morning in Reston after her Prince William County-based mental health provider called authorities to check on her.

Chief Davis said officers arrived at the 11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive and knocked on the woman's apartment door. She opened the door and saw the officer, prompting her to immediately slam it.

Authorities said the officer continued to knock on the door until the woman — who stands 6-foot-5-inches and weighs 330 pounds — opened it and charged at the officer.

"She … was obviously armed with a knife, and began attacking our police officer and slashing our police officer's face," Chief Davis said.

The chief said the officer backed away while ordering the woman to stop, but the woman kept marching toward him in the hallway of the apartment complex.

The officer shot the woman shortly afterward. Chief Davis said she was pronounced dead at a hospital.

"Our police officer acted valiantly. He certainly exhibited grace under pressure," Chief Davis said. "He tactically repositions himself in an effort to defuse the situation, but he was faced in a scenario that the only way out — and again, I've seen the body-worn camera footage — was for him to protect himself from being cut even more than he already was."

The officer, who also was unnamed, is being treated at a local hospital for "slashing wounds" that the chief said were not life-threatening.

As is standard in fatal shootings, the officer has been put on administrative duties until the department investigation is complete.

Fairfax County police protocol requires the department to release the body-camera footage within 30 days, but Chief Davis said he expects the video to be made public "much quicker than that."

Police said they had been called about the woman a number of times this year, including interacting with her Sunday when she yelled at a man walking his dog.

Chief Davis said he was uncertain about whether the woman had been violent in the community before the attack Monday.