LUFKIN, Texas (LPD / News Release) – [On Wednesday], at 6 p.m., an officer was dispatched to Great Oaks Apartments (3205 Old Union Road) for a report of two males who were kicking an apartment door. The caller told dispatchers that the incident happened roughly five minutes earlier and that they didn’t know which way the suspects had gone. The caller was told that an officer would respond to the apartment.
A short time later, a uniformed patrol officer arrived at the complex and scanned the area for the suspects while walking to the caller’s apartment. The officer rang the doorbell and moved away from the door to continue scanning the area for the suspects. A few seconds later the door opened, and a person emerged, leading with a handgun. The armed person was a woman, who was yelling and cursing while charging forward with the gun aimed toward the officer. The officer fired four shots as they retreated from the armed woman.
The armed woman was struck by gunfire and collapsed at the end of a staircase with the gun still within reach. The officer immediately notified dispatch of the shooting. After securing the gun, the officer began assessing the woman’s condition and rendered aid, including CPR, until paramedics arrived. The woman was pronounced dead at a local hospital a short time later.
The armed woman was identified as the original caller, and her identity will be released at a later time. The officer was not physically injured in the incident but will remain on leave while the incident is investigated by the Texas Rangers which is policy for any officer involved shooting.
