Woman with Asperger's syndrome who released viral video is shot, killed by police


A woman behind a viral video over the summer was shot and killed by police Thursday morning.

Danielle Jacobs, 24, has Asperger's syndrome. The Mesa, Arizona woman posted a video that went viral last year of her dog calming her down while she was having what she called a self-harm meltdown. She trained her Rottweiler, Sampson, to pat her and lick her until she calmed down.

Jacobs said she shared the video to show what it's like to live with Asperger's and raise awareness about the disorder, according to KPHO.

Authorities say they received several phone calls Thursday saying that Jacobs was going to hurt herself.

“She had one knife that we know of, she had something else we’re not sure what it was, the officers said it was dark inside the room,” Detective Esteban Flores with the Mesa Police Department said. “When she made contact with them, she approached them with the knife, extended it out, and they felt threatened.”

An investigation is on-going.

KPHO reports Jacobs' family is now caring for her dog.

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