Police release video of Dallas Love Field Airport officer involved shooting
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The woman accused of opening fire inside a terminal at Dallas Love Field airport, Portia Odufuwa, 37, is still at Parkland hospital after police shot her Monday, July 25.
Odufuwa is in stable condition at the hospital. She's facing charges for aggravated assault of a public servant and could face federal charges as well.
The next day, on July 26, law enforcement held a press conference regarding the officer involved shooting.
"Each response is different. Each call is different but the response should always be the same: swift, smart, engage the threat," said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia, "Lives depend on that quick decision. I can't teach bravery or courage. We can do all the training in the world to prepare for these type of events, but what it comes down to in the end is sheer bravery and courage."
Chief Garcia was joined by FBI Dallas Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno in speaking to reporters.
Odufuwa was dropped off at the airport by an Uber driver about 11 a.m. on Monday, where she went inside the bathroom and came out wearing a hoodie before the shooting. Odufuwa fired several rounds into the air in the Southwestern Airlines ticketing counter before police stopped her.
Garcia said she was hit by multiple shots in the lower body from Officer Ronald Cronin, adding he's "a great illustration of a guardian and a warrior."
Odufuwa's gun wasn't registered to her, according to Garcia and she's prohibited from owning a firearm. Thus, investigators are looking into where she got the gun.
A witness told CBS 11, "She basically came toward the middle of the area and was like, 'I have an announcement to make.' And then she just basically had a hood and she pulled the gun from underneath the hood, fired the first shot up, and then it just kind of scattered after that."
According to witness statements, Odufuwa made comments concerning issues related to her purported husband, rapper Chris Brown. She allegedly shouted that she was going to blow up the airport, too.
No one else was injured during the incident, although it derailed travel plans for hundreds and even shut down airport operations for several hours.
During the incident, several travelers took to Twitter to share their experience after security took protective measures, ushering many of them outside.
One of them, Rockwall Police Chief Max Geron was at the airport with his family at the time of the shooting and tweeted, "Just got evacuated out of Love Field after an apparent shooting. Family is safe. TSA did a great job."
Another traveler, Michael Loewinson tweeted that he was taken outside in between the building and the tarmac by security who told him someone had a gun. Eventually, he was allowed back inside and tweeted, "We are now back inside, seems as if security is shut down right now and people are waiting around the TSA area to be let back into the terminal."
This wasn't Odufuwa's first run in with law enforcement. CBS 11 confirmed her lengthy criminal record.
She was previously arrested in April 2019 in connection to a Bank of America robbery in Wylie. Police said she gave a note to the teller demanding money, then fled on foot but was eventually caught.
Also, last September, Odufuwa was detained at Love Field and transported for a mental health evaluation.
CBS 11 went to her house in Wylie but didn't receive any comment on the incident.