PORT ORANGE, Fla. — A shooting at the Port Orange Police Department on Thursday morning, September 3, 2026, prompted an officer-involved shooting after a woman entered the department’s lobby and opened fire, according to police officials. The woman was shot by responding officers and taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The incident unfolded at approximately 8:30 a.m. at the Port Orange Police Department headquarters on South Clyde Morris Boulevard. According to Police Chief Manuel Marino, the woman entered the main lobby while civilian employees were working in the records section and was carrying a handgun.
Authorities said she eventually fired a round inside the lobby in the direction of the area where civilian staff members were working. She then left the building and was confronted by officers in the parking lot.
Three Port Orange police officers were involved in the subsequent officer-involved shooting, according to the chief.
No police officers or civilian employees were injured in the incident. The woman was transported to a hospital after being shot. Later reporting identified her as 71-year-old Linda Jean Croteau, who remained hospitalized as investigators worked to determine what led to the shooting.
Authorities have said there is no ongoing threat to the Port Orange community.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the officer-involved shooting, while police continue working to establish the circumstances surrounding the initial gunfire inside the department.
Port Orange Shooting Today: What Happened?
The Port Orange shooting occurred Thursday morning inside the lobby of the city’s police department.
According to Chief Manuel Marino, a woman in her 70s entered the building carrying a handgun and interacted with civilian employees working near the records section.
The situation escalated when the woman allegedly brandished the firearm and then fired a shot inside the lobby.
Officials said the gunfire occurred in the direction of the area where civilian employees were working.
The woman subsequently exited the lobby.
Officers responding to the incident confronted her outside the building, where an officer-involved shooting occurred.
The woman was struck by police gunfire and transported to a hospital.
The exact sequence of events surrounding the confrontation remains part of the investigation.
Police have not publicly established a motive for the woman’s actions.
Officials have also indicated that investigators are still examining whether she had any previous interactions with the Port Orange Police Department.
Woman Identified as Linda Jean Croteau
Police later identified the woman involved in the Port Orange Police Department shooting as Linda Jean Croteau, 71.
Croteau was taken to a local hospital after being shot by officers.
The latest reporting indicated that she remained hospitalized while authorities continued investigating the incident. Reports differed at different points regarding her condition, so her most current medical status should be confirmed through authorities or the hospital rather than relying on earlier reports.
Police have not announced a motive for the shooting.
The investigation is expected to examine Croteau’s actions inside the police department, the circumstances that led her to enter the building with a firearm and what occurred during the confrontation outside.
Investigators will also review evidence from inside and outside the police headquarters.
Shooting Began Inside Port Orange Police Department Lobby
The incident was particularly unusual because the shooting occurred inside a police facility.
The Port Orange Police Department’s main lobby includes the department’s records section, where civilian personnel were working when the woman entered.
According to the police chief, she interacted with employees before producing the firearm.
The woman remained inside the lobby for several minutes before firing a round.
Authorities have not indicated that any civilian employee was struck by gunfire.
The employees and officers inside the building were ultimately reported safe and accounted for.
The woman then left the lobby, leading to the confrontation with responding officers outside.
The circumstances of the confrontation will be examined as part of the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
Three Officers Involved in Officer-Involved Shooting
Three Port Orange police officers were involved in the shooting that occurred after the woman exited the building.
Chief Marino said the woman was still holding the firearm when officers confronted her.
That detail is expected to be an important part of the investigation because authorities will need to reconstruct the encounter and determine precisely what happened before officers fired their weapons.
The officers involved have not been identified publicly in the reporting available.
None of the three officers was injured.
As is standard in officer-involved shooting investigations, the circumstances surrounding the use of force will be reviewed by investigators.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been notified and is investigating the officer-involved shooting.
No Officers or Police Employees Were Injured
Despite the gunfire inside the police department, officials said no police officers or civilian employees were injured.
That is one of the most significant confirmed details from the incident.
The woman was the only person reported to have been physically injured in the shooting.
She was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The absence of additional injuries means that the incident, while serious, did not result in a broader casualty event at the police department.
Authorities nevertheless treated the situation as a critical incident because a firearm had been discharged inside the facility and officers subsequently had to confront an armed person.
No Ongoing Threat to Port Orange Community
Officials have emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the community following the shooting.
Police officers and employees at the department were accounted for, and authorities moved to secure the scene while investigators began processing evidence.
Residents in Port Orange should continue following official instructions if additional security measures or traffic restrictions are announced.
People should also avoid attempting to approach the police department while investigators are working.
Active crime scenes can remain restricted for hours while investigators document evidence, interview witnesses and reconstruct the events.
Port Orange Police Department Scene Remained Secured
The police department remained blocked off for several hours following the shooting.
Investigators needed access to both the building and surrounding areas to document what happened.
The parking lot was also part of the investigation because the officer-involved shooting occurred outside the building.
Authorities must preserve evidence and determine the positions of the woman, officers and other people who may have been nearby.
The police department’s lobby was expected to remain closed through Tuesday, September 8, while the investigation continued.
The temporary closure allows investigators to complete their work while also giving department employees time and space following the critical incident.
What Was the Motive for the Port Orange Shooting?
At the time of the latest available reports, a motive had not been determined.
Police Chief Manuel Marino said investigators were still working to understand what led the woman to enter the police department with a handgun and fire inside the lobby.
Authorities also had not established whether Croteau had previous interactions with the police department.
Those questions remain part of the ongoing investigation.
Until investigators release additional findings, speculation about why the shooting occurred should be avoided.
A motive should not be attributed to the woman unless it is established through evidence or officially released information.
Witnesses Describe the Port Orange Shooting
Witnesses in the area reported seeing the confrontation outside the police department.
One witness who was working across the street told WFTV that he saw a woman leaving the police station while holding what appeared to be a pistol.
The witness said he later heard gunfire after the woman moved toward the curb.
Police officials have emphasized that the exact circumstances of the confrontation remain under investigation.
Witness observations can become important evidence, but investigators must compare those accounts with physical evidence, surveillance footage and statements from officers involved.
Investigation Into the Port Orange Police Shooting
The officer-involved portion of the investigation has been turned over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Investigators are expected to examine the actions of the woman, the officers’ response and the sequence of events leading to the shooting.
Evidence may include surveillance footage, witness statements, physical evidence from inside the building and the surrounding parking lot, police communications and other investigative material.
The investigation will also seek to establish what happened before the woman entered the police department.
Authorities have not announced a motive.
They have also not released a complete account of every event between the woman’s arrival at the department and the officer-involved shooting.
Additional information may be released as investigators complete their work.
Port Orange Police Chief Addresses the Incident
Chief Manuel Marino addressed reporters following the shooting and provided an initial account of what happened.
He said the woman entered the department carrying a handgun and interacted with civilian employees.
She subsequently fired a shot inside the lobby before leaving the building.
Officers confronted her outside, where she was shot.
Marino also expressed concern for the well-being of the department’s employees and officers following the critical incident.
The chief said the department would provide resources and critical-incident support to employees affected by what happened.
Such support can be particularly important for civilian employees who unexpectedly find themselves in a situation involving gunfire.
Port Orange Police Department Employees Safe
Officials confirmed that all officers and employees were safe and accounted for after the shooting.
The department’s civilian staff members were inside the building when the woman allegedly fired the weapon.
The fact that no employees were injured has been a central part of the information released by authorities.
The incident nevertheless created a significant emotional and operational impact.
A police department is ordinarily a place where people expect to receive protection and assistance.
Having gunfire occur inside the facility creates a unique challenge for both law enforcement personnel and civilian staff.
Port Orange Shooting and Community Safety
Residents who heard about the shooting may understandably have questions about whether Port Orange remains safe.
According to police officials, there is no continuing threat to the community.
The incident was contained to the police department and the immediate area.
Residents should nevertheless avoid the police department if they do not have a legitimate reason to be there while investigators continue working.
People should also avoid spreading unverified information through social media.
Early reports about shootings can change as authorities confirm identities, injuries, locations and other details.
Official statements remain the most reliable source for information about the ongoing investigation.
What Happens Next?
The investigation is expected to continue after the immediate response has ended.
Investigators must establish a detailed timeline of the incident, including when the woman entered the building, what interactions occurred with employees, when the weapon was displayed, what happened when the shot was fired and what occurred after she exited.
The officer-involved shooting will also undergo separate scrutiny.
Authorities may eventually release additional information about the officers involved, evidence collected at the scene, the woman’s condition and any potential criminal charges.
At the time of the latest reporting, no motive had been established.
The investigation remains active.
Port Orange Shooting Today: Latest Update
The latest confirmed information indicates that a 71-year-old woman identified as Linda Jean Croteau entered the Port Orange Police Department on South Clyde Morris Boulevard Thursday morning armed with a handgun.
Police said she opened fire inside the lobby before exiting the building.
Three officers confronted her outside and shot her.
Croteau was transported to a hospital, while no officers or civilian police department employees were injured.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the officer-involved shooting, and Port Orange police are continuing to provide information about the underlying incident.
Authorities have not announced a motive.
The police department lobby is expected to remain closed while investigators process the scene.
Officials have stated that there is no ongoing threat to the Port Orange community.
Port Orange Shooting: What Residents Should Know
For residents searching for “Port Orange shooting,” “Port Orange shooting today,” or “Port Orange Police Department shooting,” the key confirmed facts are that the incident occurred Thursday morning inside the police department’s lobby and involved an armed woman who fired a shot before being confronted by officers.
The woman was shot by police and hospitalized.
No officers or civilian employees were injured.
Authorities have not announced a motive, and the circumstances surrounding the officer-involved shooting remain under investigation.
Residents should not assume that unconfirmed claims circulating online represent the findings of investigators.
As the investigation progresses, additional information may clarify what prompted the woman’s actions and provide a fuller account of the confrontation.
Final Update on the Port Orange Shooting
The Port Orange shooting has become a significant public-safety incident because it occurred inside the city’s own police headquarters.
What began when an armed woman entered the lobby escalated into gunfire and an officer-involved shooting outside the building.
Fortunately, authorities reported no injuries among Port Orange police officers or civilian employees.
The woman involved was hospitalized after being shot by police.
Investigators are now working to establish the complete circumstances surrounding the incident, including the woman’s motive and the precise sequence of events leading to the officer-involved shooting.
For now, officials have assured residents that there is no continuing threat to the community.
The investigation remains ongoing, and further details will depend on what authorities establish through evidence, witness accounts and investigative review.
Residents should continue relying on official Port Orange police and Florida law-enforcement announcements for verified information.
The Port Orange community is now awaiting answers as investigators work to understand why the shooting occurred and what led to the confrontation inside the police department.
This article is based on information released by law enforcement and current reporting available as of September 4, 2026. Details may change as the investigation continues.