Danielle Jacobs was shot dead by police on Thursday in Arizona

An Asperger’s syndrome sufferer who filmed herself having a meltdown and her dog desperately trying to stop her has been shot dead by police.

Danielle Jacobs’ touching video showed her punching herself and her rottweiler Samson, who is trained to stop her from self-harming, attempting to intercept her blows with its paws.

Police say they visited Danielle’s home in Arizona yesterday over concerns she was attempting to commit suicide but were forced to open fire when she attacked officers with a knife.

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Police outside Danielle Jacobs’ house (Picture: ABC15)

Her mother, Stacia, has said the shooting was not necessary and that her daughter was fine the day before.



She told The Daily News: ‘Before the police arrived she wasn’t posing a threat to the community at all. And the police came into her own place.’

Police had visited the same property two years ago after responding to another suicide call in the apartment next to her parents’, police say.

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Stacia, who is in her 70s, said: ‘They shot and killed a 24-year-old autistic, mentally ill individual whom they had been familiar with and aware of her special needs.’

Danielle bravely filmed herself less than a year ago during a depressive episode to raise awareness about the disease and shared it on her YouTube channel in June.