by Adam Shear
WACO - When the Waco Police Department approached the car of a suspected shoplifter Friday afternoon the woman pulled out a knife and stabbed herself.
According to police around 12:00 p.m. they received a call of a possible shoplifter at Academy Sporting Goods on New Rd.
Eventually police were able to find the woman involved in the shoplifting at the Shell Gas Station, caddie corner to Academy, in her Ford Mustang.
When police approached the car to confront the woman she pulled out a knife and started stabbing and cutting herself.
After she stabbed herself multiple times police were able to get the knife away from the woman and call for an ambulance while they subdued her.
The woman was taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
"A person may fight us or not want to go to jail, but typically they don't start cutting their selves or trying to hurt their selves," said Sgt. Patrick Swanton, Waco Police. "Fortunately the officer was able to get the knife away from her and keep her from hurting herself anymore.
Police currently are not releasing the woman's name, but they say she was a patient at the Waco Veterans Affairs Hospital who they have dealt with before. Police also say the woman has some history that leads them to believe she may require mental assistance.
Sgt. Swanton added that the woman currently is not being charged with theft, but it is a possibility in the future.
