A woman has been charged after she allegedly set a fire in a northeast Washington home, then refused to drop a knife and was shot in the shoulder by police.
Renita Nettles set the fire that drew police to the 5300 block of Clay Terrace at about 6:15 p.m. Saturday, police said.
Nettles has been charged with arson and with assault on a police officer and assault with a deadly weapon.
Police said Nettles ignored commands to drop a knife that she was carrying as she approached a police officer. The confrontation was captured on video, though that video shows only a small part of the confrontation.
Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the officer made multiple calls to the 22-year-old woman, asking her to drop the knife. The officer fired one round, Lanier said.
"Officers have to handle on an individual basis what their perception of threat is and how they feel comfortable responding to that," Lanier said.
Nettles is in stable condition at an area hospital, her sister said.
The house that caught fire was their mother's.
