PORT ORANGE, Fla. — A quiet Thursday morning at the Port Orange Police Department suddenly turned into an emergency after a 70-year-old woman allegedly entered the police department lobby carrying a handgun and opened fire.

The incident unfolded shortly after 8 a.m., according to Police Chief Manuel Marino, who described the tense sequence of events during a briefing at the scene.

Marino said the woman entered the department’s main lobby and approached civilian employees working at the front records section. The woman was reportedly holding a firearm when she interacted with staff.

“She engages with some of our civilian staff at our front record section, brandishes the firearm at that point,” Marino said.

The woman remained inside the lobby for several minutes before the situation escalated.

Woman Allegedly Fires Inside Police Lobby

According to Marino, the woman eventually fired a round inside the lobby while civilian employees were working nearby.

“She remains in the lobby for a bit of time, a few minutes, when ultimately she does fire a round inside the lobby in the direction where some of our civilian staff were working,” the chief said.

The sound of gunfire prompted an urgent emergency response. A radio call went out reporting an active shooter or shooting in progress, sending Port Orange officers toward the department’s lobby.

The incident could have resulted in serious injuries, but officials said no civilian employees were struck.

The department later confirmed that all officers and employees were safe and accounted for, and officials said there was no continuing threat to the community.

Officers Confront Woman Outside the Building

After the shot was fired, the woman eventually exited the front lobby. Responding officers encountered her outside the building and confronted her. Marino said the woman was still holding the firearm when officers confronted her.

An officer-involved shooting then occurred. Three officers were involved in the confrontation, according to the police chief. Fortunately, none of the officers were injured during the incident.

Civilian employees inside the police department were also not injured. The woman was transported to a hospital following the shooting. Authorities have not immediately released her name because they were waiting for next-of-kin notification.

Her medical condition was not immediately available.

No Threat to Community, Police Say

Despite the seriousness of the incident, police said there was no ongoing threat to people in the surrounding community. The department stated that “there is currently no threat to the community” following the shooting.

The statement also confirmed that officers and employees were safe.

The quick response from officers was especially significant because the incident took place inside the police department itself, where employees and members of the public could have been at risk.

The initial call describing an active shooting brought officers to the scene, where they encountered the armed woman after she left the lobby.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Investigates

The investigation is now being handled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which will examine the circumstances surrounding both the woman’s alleged gunfire inside the police department and the subsequent officer-involved shooting.

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Investigators are expected to determine what led the woman to enter the police department with a firearm, what happened during her interaction with civilian employees and what prompted the confrontation outside the building.

Authorities have not yet released a motive.

They also have not immediately provided additional details about whether the woman had any previous connection to the department or why she entered the lobby that morning.

Officers and Staff Escape Injury

For the Port Orange Police Department, the immediate priority was ensuring that everyone inside the building was safe.

The incident ended with no injuries reported among the three involved officers or civilian staff, while the woman was transported to a hospital.

The investigation remains active, and additional information could be released as authorities work to establish the full timeline.

What began as an ordinary morning at a Florida police station quickly became a potentially deadly situation involving an armed woman, a gunshot inside the lobby and an officer-involved shooting.

For now, officials say the public is safe while investigators work to determine exactly what happened and why.

What do you think about the quick response by officers during this incident? Share your thoughts in the comments below.