A Fairfax County police officer will not face criminal charges for shooting and killing a Reston woman after she struck him with a knife and cornered him in a dead-end hallway last September.
After telling Sydney Wilson numerous times to “back up” while she pursued him with a knife, Police Officer First Class (PFC) Peter Liu fired five gunshots in her direction — an adequate response on Liu’s part, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said yesterday (Tuesday).
“The totality of these circumstances has led me to conclude that it was reasonable for Officer Liu to believe that deadly force was immediately necessary to protect himself,” Descano wrote in a statement.
CA Descano’s report on the September 16th, 2024 officer involved shooting in Reston. pic.twitter.com/SnzFJj5P7f
— Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Descano (@FairfaxCountyCA) April 8, 2025
Liu responded to Wilson’s residence at the VY Reston Heights apartments around 10 p.m. on Sept. 16 after a mental health professional requested a welfare check on Wilson, claiming that the 33-year-old “displayed grandiose delusions,” police said.
A 14-year veteran of the police force, Liu attempted to explain to Wilson that she was “not in trouble” and that officers wanted to “make sure you’re OK, that’s all,” according to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Wilson eventually opened the door and swiped at Liu with a knife, striking him in the forehead, body camera footage released by the Fairfax County Police Department showed. As Liu retreated down a hallway, he was struck again by the knife — this time in the wrist.
After Wilson continued to ignore Liu’s commands to stop, the officer discharged his weapon five times in her direction. She was shot three times before collapsing in the hallway, according to the body camera footage.
Wilson was transported to an area hospital shortly thereafter, where she was pronounced dead.
“This review led me to conclude that at the time Officer Liu discharged his firearm, Ms. Wilson was armed with a deadly weapon, had attacked Officer Liu with that weapon, had advanced on Officer Liu while he was trapped in a confined space, had disregarded his repeated commands to ‘back up’ and had slashed at Officer Liu with her knife,” Descano said.
Liu was treated for injuries not considered life-threatening related to the incident, police said.
