Former female college basketball player, NAACP activist stabs Fairfax, VA police officer repeatedly before he opens fire, killing her: body cam footage

On Monday, police in Fairfax County, Virginia released the body camera footage from an incident last month during which an officer shot and killed a woman after she slashed the officer multiple times with a knife.

The Sept 16 footage from police in Reston, VA shows crisis intervention-trained officer Peter Liu responding to 33-year-old Sydney Wilson’s apartment on Sunrise Valley Drive after her doctor raised concerns about her mental health. Wilson is a former NAACP activist and played college basketball for Georgetown University.

When Liu arrived, Wilson, a former NAACP activist, opened the door but shut it after a short interaction. Liu was then left in the hallway for almost 10 minutes.

When the 6’5", 330-pound Wilson re-opened the door, she first said, "How are you?" and then can be seen in the footage wielding a knife and immediately slashing at Liu. Officer Liu can be seen and heard in the footage repeatedly telling Wilson to back up as she advanced at him while slashing with the knife.



Despite multiple warnings, Wilson continued to advance as she swiped at Liu with the knife again. He then fired three shots, hitting her. Blood can be seen dripping from the officer in the footage while he struggles to radio in the incident. Photos of the officer after the incident show Liu with gashes on his forehead.

According to Fox 5, Wilson was transported to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said Liu “acted valiantly,” adding, “He certainly exhibited some grace under pressure." The chief noted that the officer gave Wilson at least eight verbal warnings before firing.

Wilson had a history of mental health issues and interactions with police. Officer Liu has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, pending the outcome of both a criminal and administrative investigation.