'Suicide-By-Cop' Attempt Fails At Stafford Walmart: Police Update

STAFFORD, VA — A armed suicidal woman who was parked Friday morning at a Walmart on Garrisonville Road was apprehended after a standoff of several hours during which she challenged police to kill her, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. The woman, 57, told police she lives in Florida and has been grappling with personal problems. She is being held on emergency order and is undergoing treatment at University of Mary Washington Hospital.

Around 5:15 a.m., police responded to a call about a gunshot and a possibly armed woman in the Walmart parking lot. When they arrived, they found a white woman with a handgun sitting in her vehicle. She pointed the gun at her head and said she was going to kill herself.

Police set up a large perimeter to ensure public safety, and Mine Road between Garrisonville Road and Greenspring Drive was closed to traffic. The woman repeatedly asked police to kill her, and tried to provoke a response by pointing the gun both at herself and police. Police described this as "suicide-by-cop." Later, she told police she didn't have the courage to kill herself and hoped police would do it for her.

She gave herself up to police after several hours of negotiations. She said she pulled into the parking lot with the intention of committing suicide, and confirmed that she was the person who fired the shot heard by the caller.

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