POWERED BY
(NSFW) Florida Woman Shot After Stabbing Police Officer
Published 3 years ago
(Audio starts at 0:30) Horrific body worn camera footage shows the Apr. 11, 2020 officer-involved shooting incident in Jacksonville, FL that resulted in the stabbing of a responding police officer and the death of the suspect.
The video shows officer Elizabeth Mechling responding to an argument complaint at a residence. As she knocks on the door a woman, Leah Baker, 29, rapidly opens it and lunges at the officer with a large kitchen knife.
Baker stabs officer Mechling who rapidly withdraws, creating space between her and the suspect. Mechling reports the assault over the radio and instructs Baker to get on the ground. Baker instead goes to retrieve the knife for another attack. Mechling fires twice and appears to hit the suspect at least twice.
Baker again retrieves the knife and makes a lunging attempt toward a second officer and is shot several more times, dropping her to the ground. For several more minutes, the seriously suspect ignores police commands and tries to gain her feet with the knife.
Baker, who had not been taking her psychiatric medications and was reportedly in a state of mental decline, later died of her injuries. Officer Mechling was treated for non-life threatening wounds. An investigation into the incident determined the shooting was justified.