St. Paul police officer's vest blocks injury after woman stabs him with screwdriver

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 23-year-old woman has been charged after she cut a St. Paul police officer with a knife and stabbed him with a screwdriver Monday night.

According to the criminal complaint, Articia Latroyce Moore is charged with second and first degree assault in connection to the incident.

At about 8 p.m. Monday, Moore was stopped by police as she was leaving Lunds grocery store on East 10th Street. Store employees told the officer that Moore had concealed unpurchased items in her pants and jacket.

The officer told Moore he was not going to issue her a citation, and that she just needed to return the items she took. Moore denied she had taken anything, but the officer could see items concealed in her pant leg and under her jacket. She returned one drink item and when the officer asked her to return other items, she became uncooperative and said she was homeless. She then started to back away.

According to the complaint, the officer saw what appeared to be the handle of a black knife in her pocket, and he took a hold of her arm. Moore then pulled away and took out a screwdriver. With an overhead swing, she stabbed it into the officer's chest. The officer's vest prevented the screwdriver from piercing his body.

Then, the officer tried to gain control of her, and a struggle ensued. Moore continued to resist and, at one point, she pulled out a knife and cut the officer on his left bicep.

Police recovered the screwdriver and the black-handled kitchen knife near the scene of the struggle.