Virginia officer fatally shoots woman after knife attack during welfare check: Watch

A tragic incident occurred in Reston, Virginia, when a Fairfax County police officer shot and killed 33-year-old Sydney Wilson after she attacked him with a knife during a welfare check on September 16th.

Disturbing body camera footage released by authorities shows the exact moment Wilson attacked the officer. The incident began around 10 a.m. when the officer, a 14-year veteran of the force, arrived at Wilson's apartment for a routine welfare check.

After knocking on her door and identifying himself, the video shows Wilson abruptly slamming the door shut. The officer knocked again, and after a brief pause of about two minutes, Wilson opened the door again and immediately lunged at the officer with a knife.

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Wilson allegedly slashed the officer's face multiple times. The officer retreated down the hallway with his gun drawn. Despite his attempts to distance himself, the officer fired three shots and ultimately stopped the attack. He then radioed for help and reported that shots had been fired and he had been injured.

Within minutes, another plainclothes officer arrived at the scene and began CPR on Wilson. Unfortunately, her injuries proved fatal.

Fairfax County police say the situation could have been “much, much worse.”

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis later explained that the officer had limited options and “it could have been much, much, much worse.”

“The cut and laceration he sustained was at the top of his forehead.”

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Fairfax County officials typically respond with a mental health co-responder, but Chief Davis revealed the next co-responder was on another call at the time. “Every time doctors get out of a police car and walk with a police officer to a door or to an accident scene or an outdoor scenario, they are exposing themselves to some danger and there is some risk associated with that,” explained he.