October 16, 2024
Triggering Bodycam Shows Black Woman Fatally Shot By Cop
Social media has mixed reactions to a woman who was fatally shot after attacking a police officer with a knife.
Social media is debating over whether the fatal police shooting of a woman experiencing a mental health crisis was justified.
Graphic bodycam footage shows the moments leading up to a Fairfax County police officer fatally shooting 33-year-old Sydney Wilson after she attacked him with a knife inside her apartment building in Reston, Virginia. The officer, identified as Peter Liu, is on administrative duty following the incident during a welfare check he conducted last month.
A healthcare worker requested the welfare check on Wilson after they reported that the commercial estate manager appeared to be “agitated,” Newsweek reported. When Officer Liu, who has 14 years of experience in crisis intervention, arrived at Wilson’s apartment, he knocked on the door. Wilson can be seen opening the door and saying “hi” twice before closing the door.
Liu continued knocking on the door, and when Wilson opened the door about three minutes later, she said, “How are you?” before raising a knife and lunging at Liu. Footage shows Liu backing down a hallway to get away from Wilson, who was brandishing the knife. Liu points his gun at Wilson while telling her to “back up” several times.
When Wilson lunged at him again, the officer fired two shots. He fired three more times as Wilson appeared to continue moving toward him before she collapsed. The footage shows blood dripping from Officer Liu’s head onto his hand and the floor as he called in the shooting and requested medical assistance. He suffered a head injury that was not life-threatening, and Wilson was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died.
The bodycam footage sparked mixed reactions on social media, with some criticizing the officer for not using a taser instead of lethal force. However, many others defended the officer, arguing that he acted in self-defense when firing the fatal shots.
“We can’t fight this one Family I’m sorry but she was engaging this since the start of the door opening,” one person wrote.
“Nah, this is just wrong! Getting a call fully KNOWING that she’s going through a mental health crisis I can’t justify this,” added someone else. “He should have had a taser.”
Georgetown University came under fire after posting a tribute to the former player on Instagram.
“Georgetown women’s basketball mourns the tragic loss of Sydney Wilson (C’13). Forever a Hoya,” the post’s caption read.
“Tragic? She tried to murder a police officer!” one critic wrote.
Officer Liu remains on administrative duties as an internal investigation into the shooting continues.
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