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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Woman Fires Gun Inside Dallas Love Field Airport

A member of the Dallas Police department nearby quickly engaged with the suspect, firing their weapon and hitting the woman in the lower extremities.

On July 25, 2022, at approximately 11:00 AM, Dallas Police responded to a report of shots fired at Love Field Airport.

The preliminary investigation determined Portia Odufuwa, 37, was dropped off at the airport and walked inside the terminal. Odufuwa went inside a women’s restroom and a short time later walked from the bathroom to the Southwest Airlines ticketing area and said she has an announcement to make. Witnesses say Odufuwa started to ramble, talked about a marriage and incarceration, and then said she was going to blow up the airport and pulled a handgun from her sweatshirt.

At 11:06:44 she pointed the gun towards the ceiling and fired multiple rounds. Officer Ronald Cronin, a 15-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department (DPD), was in the immediate area and engaged Ms. Odufuwa, giving verbal commands to drop the weapon. At 11:06:50, Odufuwa pointed her gun at Officer Cronin and an innocent bystander. At 11:06:51, Officer Cronin took cover behind a ticket kiosk and fired his department-issued weapon, hitting the suspect multiple times. Officer Cronin held his position and other DPD officers arrived to take Odufuwa into custody. Officers started first aid and called Dallas Fire Rescue for assistance. Odufuwa was taken to a local hospital for treatment where she underwent surgery for her injuries.

While processing the scene, law enforcement found rounds from Odufuwa’s weapon showing she shot at Officer Cronin. Odufuwa has been charged with aggravated assault against a public servant. Other charges are possible.

DPD has identified the driver who dropped off the suspect as an Uber driver and said they are not involved in this incident.

The airport suspended flight operations and passengers were cleared from the sterile area of the airport for rescreening by the Transportation Security Administration.

The Dallas Police Department and FBI are investigating the incident. Local media say the suspect had previously faced criminal charges for arson, robbery and false reporting over the past several years. Media report that she had also told police that she was “God’s prophet”.

Dallas Police were assisted by the FBI at the scene, with their Evidence Response Team on scene, and assisting DPD with witness interviews.

The investigation is continuing. DPD is asking the public for assistance, including cell phone video of the incident in or around Love Field.

Read more and see the body worn camera footage at DPD

This story was updated on July 28

Woman Fires Gun Inside Dallas Love Field Airport Homeland Security Today
Kylie Bielby
Kylie Bielby has more than 20 years' experience in reporting and editing a wide range of security topics, covering geopolitical and policy analysis to international and country-specific trends and events. Before joining GTSC's Homeland Security Today staff, she was an editor and contributor for Jane's, and a columnist and managing editor for security and counter-terror publications.
Kylie Bielby
Kylie Bielby
Kylie Bielby has more than 20 years' experience in reporting and editing a wide range of security topics, covering geopolitical and policy analysis to international and country-specific trends and events. Before joining GTSC's Homeland Security Today staff, she was an editor and contributor for Jane's, and a columnist and managing editor for security and counter-terror publications.

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