25 January 2023
**WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO**
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Dramatic officer body cam video of a deadly shooting when officers tried to serve involuntary commitment paperwork in a Charlotte woman last year was released Tuesday.
Sgt. Winterhalter said the woman killed was sleeping when officers arrived and the person they made contact with upon arrival was told they’d need to wake her. When officers approached the bedroom door and called out, 60-year-old Brenda Donahue started shooting, striking one of the officers in the chest and knocking off the officer’s body-worn camera. A bulletproof vest protected the officer. “Keep breathing for me, alright,” the impassioned officer who appeared to be the one who was struck by gunfire could be heard saying to Donahue after Donahue was struck.
After officers retreated, Donahue exited the room with the gun pointing at officers, when one of the officers returned fire, Winterhalter said, striking Donahue in the head.
The incident happened Friday, Aug. 19, in the 8900 block of St. Croix Lane in south Charlotte.
Officers said they were serving an involuntary commitment order for a woman in the area. Reports state a man opened the door, and as officers called out inside the home for the woman, she shot at the three officers. Another officer returned fire and shot the woman; police immediately began to render aid.
Brenda Donahue, 60, was rushed to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries before she passed away on Thursday, Aug. 25. Her family has been notified of her death, CMPD said.
CMPD released a 16-minute video of the entire episode.