Woman Shot After Opening Fire Inside Dallas Love Field Airport; Flight Ops Resume

Flight operations are suspended at Love Field; passengers asked to avoid the airport for now

By Frank Heinz • Published 5 hours ago • Updated 29 mins ago

What to Know

• Gunfire was reported inside Dallas Love Field Airport just after 11 a.m.
• A woman was transported from the scene by Dallas Fire-Rescue after police say she fired several rounds inside the airport. Witnesses tell NBC 5 that the woman said something about her marriage before the shooting.
• Rockwall Chief of Police Max Geron was in the TSA security line and told NBC 5 he heard several shots near a ticket counter.

A woman pulled out a gun inside Dallas Love Field Airport late Monday morning and began shooting toward the ceiling, police say, halting flight operations for several hours Monday. The woman, who witnesses said was yelling about her marriage, was confronted and shot by officers. No other injuries have been reported.

Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia said the woman, identified by police Monday afternoon as 37-year-old Portia Odufuwa, was dropped off at the airport just before 11 a.m. and that once inside she went into a restroom and changed clothes.

Garcia said the woman exited the restroom wearing a hoody or something other than what she arrived in, pulled out a gun and started firing several shots. Most of the shots, Garcia said, appeared to be directed toward the ceiling.

“At this point, we don’t know where exactly the individual was aiming. From what we are seeing she was aiming at the ceiling,” Garcia said. ” There are several rounds that were found.”

According to the airport, officers working inside confronted Odufuwa at about 11:23 a.m. and shot her in her lower extremities. The woman was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in an unknown condition. No further information about her or the motivation behind the shooting or who dropped her off at the airport has been confirmed by police.

Cell phone video shared with NBC 5 showed travelers on the ground, behind chairs at the gates and sheltering in place while the shooting unfolded.

The investigation is ongoing and Garcia said he expected elements to change as more is learned about what happened. Dallas Police said they do not plan to release any other statements until Tuesday afternoon. The Dallas FBI and ATF are assisting Dallas Police in the investigation. The FAA told NBC 5 that the incident is a police matter.

WITNESS SAYS SHOOTER SAID HER HUSBAND WAS CHEATING

Colby James spoke with NBC 5 Monday afternoon and said he was standing near the woman when she pulled out a gun and started shooting.

James said the woman said she had an announcement to make and said something about her husband cheating.

“She basically said her announcement, talking about her husband was cheating or something. And she basically said she was about to blow this sucker up. After she said that she pulled out a gun. She fired the first shot in the air and basically, everybody scattered,” James said. “We were running. There were 10-12 more shots after that.”

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DALLAS LOVE FIELD SHOOTING

LOVE FIELD SHOOTING5 HOURS AGO

Rockwall Chief of Police Was Inside Love Field Airport When Shooting Began

DALLAS LOVE FIELD AIRPORT5 HOURS AGO

Dallas Police Chief Gives Update on Love Field Airport Shooting

DALLAS LOVE FIELD AIRPORT4 HOURS AGO

Woman Opens Fire at Love Field Airport

ROCKWALL CHIEF PASSING THROUGH SECURITY WHEN SHOTS WERE FIRED

Max Geron, Chief of Police in Rockwall, told NBC 5 in a phone interview Monday morning that he and his family were going through security when they heard gunshots.

Geron said a number of shots were heard near a baggage or ticket counter area. He said he grabbed his kids and that the TSA agents responded quickly by shuffling travelers into secure areas.

He said the TSA then got word that “the shooter was down” and they were evacuated out of the airport and sequestered in an outdoor location.

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GROUND STOP, DELAYS AT DALLAS LOVE FIELD

All flights inbound to Dallas Love were being held at their departure location until 2:30 p.m., per the FAA.

Love Field said at about 2 p.m. Monday afternoon that operations at the airport are currently suspended and that passengers have been cleared from the sterile portion of the terminal to be rescreened by the TSA. Operations resumed at about 3:40 p.m., but travelers were still encouraged to check the status of their flight before heading to the airport.

Video from inside the airport Monday afternoon showed a congested scene with