Officers cleared in death of bipolar woman armed with axe

RICHMOND, Va. – Police have been cleared of wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a bipolar Virginia woman whose psychiatrist asked authorities to check on her.

Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor told reporters Monday that no charges will be filed against the two Henrico police officers, who haven’t been publicly identified.

A 26-page report says 57-year-old Gay Ellen Plack, diagnosed with bipolar disorder, visited her psychiatrist the day before the September shooting. The doctor alerted police that Plack was acting uncharacteristically paranoid and refused to go to a hospital.

It says police knew of Plack’s diagnosis and fear of law enforcement when they checked on her and were met with a swinging axe. It says four seconds elapsed between Plack’s armed emergence from a dark bathroom and when the first shot was fired.