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By: Tommy “Tj” Sotomayor

Fairfax Police release video of Reston woman shot and killed after attacking officer with knife

The shooting happened while the officer was responding to a welfare check request from a mental health professional on Sept. 16.

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RESTON, Va. — A newly released video shows the moment an officer shot and killed a woman who appeared to attack them with a knife during a welfare check in Reston last September.

The Fairfax County Police Department released video from one of the officer’s body-worn camera on Monday. The department says the shooting happened while the officer was responding to a welfare check request from a mental health professional on Sept. 16. 

The woman killed was later identified as 33-year-old Sydney Wilson.

RELATED: Woman shot dead after attacking officer with a knife, police say

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said in a press conference Monday, that the officer who arrived at Wilson’s residence was the victim of an unprovoked and violent knife attack. 

The disturbing video shows the officer arriving at an apartment complex on Sunrise Valley Drive near Reston Parkway. The officer, later identified as Peter Liu, was trained in crisis intervention and has worked at the department for 14 years. 

The body-worn video shows Liu knocking on Wilson’s door before she slammed it in his face. He knocks for almost three more minutes when she places a phone near the door while it plays music. 

The video appears to show Wilson opening the door again, this time with a knife that she uses to slash the officer in the face. Meanwhile, you can hear Officer Liu telling Wilson to back up at least eight times before ending up trapped in a dead-end hallway. 

Liu then shoots at Wilson, hitting her three times after she appears to attack him again. She died later at the hospital. 

The officer was hospitalized for treatment of slashing wounds to the face. 

“He did the things that we trained him and expect him to do when you’re threatened like that,” said Chief Davis. “If you can tactically reposition yourself, you do it. If you can use distance, use it. If you can seek cover and concealment, seek it. All those options weren’t available to him.”

Davis says the department has co-responders where a mental health clinician pairs up with an officer and that one of those co-responders was on another call when the attack happened. Davis believes if the co-responder had been with Liu when the incident unfolded, it still would have gotten dangerous and even put that mental health expert in harm’s way. 

Officer Liu was placed on restrictive duty status following the shooting and is now working in a different department as the investigation continues.

Watch the body-worn video and press conference in full below.

WARNING: The video may be considered disturbing and should be watched with caution. Viewer discretion is advised.