She said she had no chance to tell him she was holding the knife before he collapsed on top of her.

BBC: Aide's boyfriend 'sent explicit e-mails'

The two men, who made off towards the Woodwynd area, are both described as 5ft 7in, one wearing a black hooded top, a black balaclava and brandishing the firearm, and the other wearing a grey hooded top, black balaclava and holding the knife.

BBC: Woman struck during armed robbery attempt

"One of the things the public has to understand, an individual wielding a knife at you at about 20 feet can be on top of you in a split second, " he said.

CNN: Video captures Michigan man's shooting by police

He took a rubber band off the top of one of them, removed a piece of plastic wrap, and, with a knife, jimmied out a disk of wax.

NEWYORKER: Sole Mate