Fayetteville Police say an internal investigation has cleared two officers who used deadly force this weekend in an effort to save a stabbing victim.

Chief Greg Tabor says Corporal Chris Scherrey and Officer Ken Willyard had to break open a window to get inside the apartment of Jill Ulmer at 2182 N. Leverett Avenue on Saturday.

Ulmer, 26, had called 911 when she saw her ex-boyfriend in the parking lot. She told police on the phone that she had an order of protection against him.

By the time officers arrived, Ricky Ray Anderson, 41, was already repeatedly stabbing Jill Ulmer. The officers fired nine shots as they tried to stop him. One of those bullets struck Ulmer in the head.

Police said yesterday that the State Medical Examiner ruled her cause of death as both the 25-30 stab wounds she suffered, along with the gunshot wound to the head. Ulmer, who the medical examiner said was pregnant, died at the scene.

Police say the internal investigation revealed the officers did not use deadly force until they realized Anderson was armed with a knife. They say "while it was unfortunate a bullet from an officers' service weapons struck Ms. Ulmer, it was determined they had no other options in their attempts to stop Mr. Anderson's assault."

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is continuing its own investigation of the incident, and will send the report to the prosecutor's office for review.