A 70-year-old Florida woman was involved in a violent confrontation at the Port Orange Police Department on Thursday morning, leading to an officer-involved shooting. The incident unfolded shortly after 8:30 a.m. local time when the suspect entered the main lobby of the department holding a handgun. According to Port Orange Police Chief Manuel Marino, the individual engaged with civilian staff at the front record section and brandished the firearm before firing a round in their direction.
Details from the Scene
The situation escalated quickly within the police station's main lobby. After remaining there for several minutes, the woman fired a shot while some of her civilian colleagues were working nearby. A radio call went out referencing an active shooter or shooting in progress, prompting officers to respond immediately to the scene, as we reported in Tragedy in Orange County.
"Shortly after 8 o’clock this morning, we had an individual enter the main lobby... That person was roughly a 70-year-old White female holding a firearm," Police Chief Marino told reporters. "She remains in the lobby for a bit of time when ultimately she does fire a round inside the lobby in the direction where some of our civilian staff were working."
Upon exiting the front lobby, the suspect was confronted by responding officers. The confrontation resulted in an officer-involved shooting. While the woman's condition is not immediately clear and her name has been withheld pending notification to next of kin, Chief Marino confirmed that she was transported to a hospital.
No Threat to Community Remains
Despite the severity of the incident inside the police facility, authorities emphasized that there is no ongoing danger. The Port Orange Police Department stated in their report that all officers and employees are safe and accounted for following the event. Chief Marino noted that three officers were involved in the response but confirmed that none suffered any injuries, as we reported in Tragedy in Orange County.
Furthermore, the department reported that none of the civilian staff members sustained harm during the shooting or the subsequent confrontation. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has taken over to investigate the shooting as part of their standard protocol for such incidents involving law enforcement agencies.
