By Anthony Siino
Chico Enterprise-Record
PARADISE, Calif. — A woman was in critical condition Friday after shooting herself in the Paradise Police Department’s lobby Thursday night.
The woman, whose name is currently being withheld, lost both of her eyes and is fighting brain swelling and infection after shooting herself in the head with a Ruger Redhawk .454 revolver at 6:50 p.m. Thursday, said Sgt. Craig Gallagher. The gun is registered under the woman’s name.
Charges will “absolutely not” be pressed, but police do have her placed under a mental health hold, Gallagher said. The woman’s husband and family have been notified.
Gallagher was training officers in the building when he heard the shot, he said. When he got to the lobby, he saw her sitting in a chair with a wound to her head.
The shot went off while the Thursday Night Market continued nearby at Pearson and Black Olive roads, he said. It didn’t seem like many attendees were aware of anything wrong until police began to block off the area in front of the department.
Gallagher and the rest of the department don’t know why she chose the police department to attempt suicide.
“As a result of this, if she survives, she’s certainly got a difficult road ahead of her, as do her family and friends,” Gallagher said.
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