A woman was shot and killed Wednesday morning after getting into an altercation with officers in Sumner County.
Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Laronda Sweatt was fatally shot by a responding officer after she hit a deputy with a medieval ax.
Sweatt allegedly hit Pickard with the ax. He was then able to stumble to his cruiser to call for back-up.
Three Gallatin Police officers arrived and reportedly got into another altercation with Sweatt where she allegedly threatened them with the same ax.
Authorities confirmed Sweatt was shot by Officer James Spray. A press release from Gallatin Police said Spray fired two shots at Sweatt, striking her with both. He has been placed on paid administrative leave, per protocol.
Spray has been with the Gallatin Police Department for three years, according to Chief Don Bandy.
While at the scene, authorities administered medical care on Sweatt at the scene. She was then taken to Sumner Regional Medical Center where she later died.
Fitts is Sweatt's cousin who claimed the 40-year-old suffered from a mental illness. While they admit she was violent, some family members said they wished officers did not use deadly force.
As much as i want to feel sorry for the victim, i cant. Who the hell walks around with a medieval axe and would be so dumb to attack the cop with it? People with mental illnesses(?) Should seek help for their problems
As much as i want to feel sorry for the victim, i cant. Who the hell walks around with a medieval axe and would be so dumb to attack the cop with it? People with mental illnesses(?) Should seek help for their problems
Why do cops in America have to fatally shoot them though... like they could've just targeted her legs or something
Cops need more training in dealing with the mentally ill, too many people are being killed. And they really couldn't subdue her without using deadly force? She had an ax, how would she manage to get close enough to injure two cops? How did she even get close enough to get the first guy
like they could've just targeted her legs or something 
