An Allentown police officer was justified when he shot a woman who was brandishing a knife inside a former hospital last month, according to authorities.

The woman, 29, was injured when an officer shot her after she refused to drop a knife the night of Jan. 11 at the former Good Shepherd Hospital at 850 S. Fifth St., Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said. The DA said Wednesday in a news release the officer rightfully believed he and others were in danger.

According to the DA, the woman showed up at the former hospital and told a security guard that she had been abused. The guard let her into the lobby and called Allentown EMS. The Allentown officer arrived with EMTs, and they entered the lobby and found the woman holding a knife, the DA said.

The officer told her 16 times to drop the knife, and she did not, the DA said. She responded, “It’s just a knife; I’m not going to hurt anyone.”

The woman turned around and looked through a box of her possessions. At that time, the officer tried to transition from his gun to his Taser to incapacitate her. The woman then turned around with the knife and what appeared to be a Taser in her other hand, according to authorities.

The officer then shot her, believing she could have used the Taser on him and taken his weapon, the DA said. Investigators later determined the woman actually had a digital no-contact thermometer, known as a “temperature gun,” which resembled a Taser.

“His perception that the temperature gun was a Taser or something similarly capable of causing harm was reasonable under the circumstances. The force used was limited to that which was necessary to end the threat and was effective in doing so,” Holihan said. “Additionally, the officer attempted to use less than lethal force but was unable to transition to his Taser due to the actions of (the woman).”

The DA said there was no question she provoked the incident and left the officer no choice but to use his firearm.

The woman was shot in the pelvis area and knocked to the ground. Emergency responders provided medical treatment to her at the scene.

Allentown police converge on former Good Shepherd hospital after incident Sunday evening