STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — A suicidal Florida woman, armed with a gun, in a car parked outside Walmart on Garrisonville Road was taken into custody Friday morning, according to a Stafford County Sheriff’s spokesperson.
Deputies were called the the parking lot at 5:15 a.m. after a caller reported hearing a gunshot.
“Upon arrival, deputies encountered a white female armed with a handgun sitting in her vehicle,” officials said. “The subject, later determined to be 57 years old, pointed the gun towards her head and told deputies she was going to kill herself.”
Mine Road between Garrisonville Road and Greenspring Drive were closed while deputies set up a perimeter for public safety.
“During the encounter, the subject attempted suicide-by-cop,” officials said. “She repeatedly asked for the police to kill her and attempted to provoke a lethal response from law enforcement by pointing her weapon at herself and law enforcement. She later told investigators she did not have the courage to kill herself and hoped police would do it.”
The woman, who was eventually taken into custody after several hours of negotiations, said she had been grappling with “several personal problems.”
The subject is being held on an emergency custody order and is undergoing medical treatment at Mary Washington Hospital.
This is a developing story. Witnesses can send news tips and photos here.
