PORT ORANGE, Fla. — A 71-year-old woman fired a shot toward civilian employees inside the Port Orange Police Department lobby before she was shot by responding officers, police said.
The woman entered the department around 8:20 a.m. on Sept. 3 and brandished the handgun while interacting with civilian employees at the front records section, Police Chief Manuel Marino said during a news conference.
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The woman remained in the lobby for several minutes before firing one round in the direction of employees, Marino said. The bullet struck near the department’s property and evidence section, where employees were working at the time.
A call reporting an active shooter or shooting in progress went out over the radio. Officers responded and confronted the woman as she walked outside the building.
“At that point, there is an officer-involved shooting,” Marino said.
Marino said the woman was still holding the handgun when officers confronted her. He had not reviewed all available surveillance video and could not say whether she pointed the weapon at officers.
The woman was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition, WFTV reported. None of the officers or civilian employees were injured.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.
Marino said the incident was particularly difficult for civilian employees, who are not trained or accustomed to responding to critical incidents. The department will provide those employees and the officers involved with debriefings and mental health resources.
“Fortunately, none of our staff were injured,” Marino said. “Now it’s the point of helping them recover.”
