A woman accused of firing several gunshots inside a Dallas airport faces a charge of aggravated assault of a public servant because she allegedly fired one round toward a police officer the Associated Press reports. The officer shot and wounded Portia Odufuwa, who was taken to a hospital after Monday’s shooting at Dallas Love Field Airport. Dallas police Chief Eddie Garcia said at a Tuesday news conference that Odufuwa, who is prohibited from possessing a firearm, could face additional charges. Odufuwa, who had no luggage, entered the ticketing area, then went into a restroom, emerging with her hands in the pockets of a hooded sweatshirt, according to the arrest warrant. Garcia said that she then walked into the ticketing area and said she had an announcement to make. “Witnesses say Odufuwa started to ramble, talking about a marriage, incarceration and that she was going to blow up the airport and then pulls a handgun from her sweatshirt,” Garcia said. She fired two rounds in the ceiling before Dallas Officer Ronald Cronin told her to drop the weapon and she then fired in his direction. Garcia said Cronin took cover behind a self check-in kiosk and fired, striking her multiple times. Cronin was not struck, nor was anyone besides Odufuwa. He praised Cronin’s actions, saying he not only “didn’t hesitate” in engaging the suspect, but also tried to help guide others in the area to safety.
Garcia said Odufuwa was shot in her “lower extremities” but that she had undergone surgery and was stable. He said authorities are still investigating a motive, but Odufuwa has been arrested several times in recent years and has been found incompetent for trial more than once. A judge last year found her incompetent to stand trial after she was charged with making a false report, court records show. The judge found that she wasn’t a danger to others and referred her to outpatient mental health services. Garcia said that Odufuwa has been prohibited from possessing a firearm since August 2018. He said police were working with federal authorities to figure out where she got the gun. “It wasn’t hers. It was not registered to her. Obviously, she got it from somebody else, but we’re trying to figure out precisely where,” Garcia said.