Costco
A Loudoun County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a woman who came at him with a knife at a busy Costco in Sterling on Wednesday afternoon Reuters

A Loudon County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a female Costco employee after the woman reportedly came at him with a knife at the storefront in Sterling, Va.

In a statement issued on Wednesday night, sheriff’s officials said the shooting occurred around 3 p.m. after authorities said they had been called to respond to a disorderly conduct complaint at the Sterling-area Costco. Police said the woman was threatening store employees, the Associated Press reports.

Officials told reporters that the deputies proceeded to instruct the woman to drop the weapon, but she ignored the order and continued to move toward them. While one of the deputies used his stun gun as a first line of defense, it was said to be ineffective.

Police say the second deputy fired several shots, killing the woman, who was later identified as Mhai Scott.

One deputy was reportedly wounded, possibly when a bullet ricocheted and hit his leg, the Washington Post reports.

Scott, 38, lived near Dulles Town Center and worked for Club Demonstration Services, which provides services to Costco.

Renee Haber, a manager for the store, told the Washington Post that Scott, who was involved in food preparation, became agitated and began to act erratically as her shift was ending. She then reportedly began saying “crazy things” and seemed concerned about the number of servings in a pizza box.

Haber goes on to tell the Post that Scott grabbed a knife from another station and started making “strange movements.” It was then that authorities were called to the scene.

Loudoun Sheriff Michael Chapman told reporters that investigators are interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance tapes, but that he feels “confident in the way our deputies responded.”