Fairfax County police released body camera footage yesterday (Monday) of the Sept. 16 shooting of a 33-year-old woman during a welfare check in Reston.
An officer trained in crisis intervention fatally shot and killed Sydney Wilson, a Reston resident, after Wilson injured the officer with a knife, the video shows, corroborating the Fairfax County Police Department’s previous description of the encounter.
The FCPD has identified the officer behind the shooting as Police Officer First Class (PFC) Peter Liu, a 14-year veteran of the department. He was placed on restricted duty status during the investigation.
“The following information is based on the preliminary and ongoing investigation,” the FCPD said in a blog post announcing the video’s release. “The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed.”
In the video, the police officer, who identifies himself as “officer Liu,” shoots Wilson three times after she is shown chasing him down the hallway of the VY Reston Heights apartment building.
The incident began around 10:03 a.m. when a mental health professional asked officers to conduct a welfare check on Wilson “out of concern that she was in an agitated state,” according to the video.
Liu was the first officer to arrive on the scene at 10:07 a.m. The video shows Wilson first closing the door on the officer and then appearing to use her phone to play music near the door. The officer continued to knock on her door for two minutes and 45 seconds, explaining that he was there to check on her welfare.
After roughly three minutes, she opened the door, wielding a knife in her hand.
According to text super-imposed on the edited video, the officer attempted to deescalate the situation by asking Wilson to back up repeatedly until he wound up in a dead-end hallway. Wilson is seen swinging a knife at the officer, who then fired three shots.
Toward the end, the video shows Liu with a bloody gash to his head. According to the FCPD, he was treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
More officers arrived on the scene and attempted to give Wilson blood, after which Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department personnel took over. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
At a press conference yesterday, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis lamented Wilson’s death.
“She has family and friends and loved ones who love her very much, who care about her, and undoubtedly are grieving and upset,” he said. “We acknowledge that and we pray with this particular family.”
FCPD releases body-worn camera video within 30 days after what it defines as a critical event.
