ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando police on Monday released the name of a woman who was shot and killed by officers last week after they say she charged at them while carrying two knives.
Rachael Ellis, 32, was shot to death Friday at a residential complex on Pioneers Way off Narcoosee Road, south of State Road 417.
An agency official said officers responded to a 911 call from a man who said his girlfriend was talking about killing herself and had a knife.
A crisis negotiation team arrived and communicated with her over the phone before she hung up. Police said Ellis exited the apartment with a knife, walked back in, came out again with a second knife and charged at the officers.
Two officers, both of whom have been trained in crisis intervention, fired their weapons, striking the woman, police said.
Ellis was pronounced dead at the scene.
OPD has not released the names of the officers involved, invoking Marsy’s Law. They have both been placed on administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates.
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