DALLAS — Updated at 8:19 p.m. Friday with victim's name.
A 51-year-old man was shot and killed by Veterans Affairs police officers late Wednesday, according to a Dallas police spokesperson.
Dallas officers were dispatched shortly before 10:30 p.m. to the Dallas VA Medical Center after the shooting had occurred.
According to VA officers, the incident began when a man armed with a knife had come to the hospital asking for psychiatric treatment, Dallas police said.
The man was identified Friday night as Donald Ashcraft.
At this time, the man has not been identified. It is also unknown whether he was a veteran or not.
The nurses and doctors inside became concerned about his behavior and called the hospital's police, Dallas police said.
A spokesperson for the hospital said the man had been "exhibiting threatening behavior and posing a danger to patients and staff."
When they confronted him, the situation moved outside the building, according to officers at the scene.
At some point, the man began to walk away from VA officers. As they followed, they tried to disarm him, Dallas police said.
The officers had tried multiple times to deescalate the situation, the VA spokesperson said, but the man tried to attack them with the knife, causing multiple VA officers to shot him.
He was then taken to an area hospital, where he later died, police said.
None of the officers were hurt in the incident, according to Dallas police officials.
Dallas police were not involved in the shooting, but the Special Investigations Unit is investigating the incident.
This incident draws attention to a bigger problem of mental health.
“No matter how you slice the situation, you can only conclude we had an unfortunate loss of life, and someone had to take a life,” said Jacob Schick, a marine and CEO of 22KILL, a nonprofit that helps veterans confront PTSD. The group takes its name from a 2012 study that found 22 American veterans commit suicide every day. He knows mental issues can happen to anyone.
“These are human issues, and everyone has demons," Schick said. "Whether this person was a veteran or not a veteran is a non-issue.”
He wants people who are struggling to know it’s OK to not be OK.
“We are ready to help anyone,” Schick said.
The VA is also encouraging any veterans, family members or friends concerned about a veteran’s mental health to contact the 24/7 Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255.
This is a developing story. Check back for new information. Download our free WFAA app to stay up-to-date on all news stories in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.