A Lake Worth woman is facing charges after she allegedly tried to stab a store security officer with a syringe Thursday while stating that she is infected with HIV, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said.

Esmeralda Lopez, 34, is facing charges of aggravated assault and retail theft. According to an arrest report, Lopez allegedly began fighting a security officer who accused her of shoplifting. The incident happened at about 11:45 a.m. Thursday at a hardware store in the 200 block of South State Road 7 in suburban West Palm Beach.

According to the report, Lopez was escorted to the loss prevention office where she began to fight with the store officer. Lopez pulled out the syringe and yelled that she has AIDS. She then attempted to stab the officer with the needle, the report said.

The report does not specify whether Lopez is actually infected with the virus.

The officer, who is not identified, was able to get the syringe away before Lopez could stab him, the report said.

Lopez, who was walking with a toddler, allegedly took various power tools from the store’s shelves and left without paying for them. The items allegedly stolen totaled more than $400 in value.

A sheriff’s deputy responding to the scene searched Lopez and found a second syringe in her bra, according to the report. Lopez reportedly told the deputy that she was trying to get the loss prevention officer to feel sorry for her so that he would let her go.

She remained in custody at the Palm Beach County Jail late Friday in lieu of $3,000 bond, jail records showed.