Port Orange, Florida — Linda Jean Croteau, 71, has died following an officer-involved shooting outside the Port Orange Police Department, bringing a tragic conclusion to an incident that began inside the police department's lobby.
Croteau was identified by the Port Orange Police Department after she entered the department on September 3 carrying a handgun and allegedly fired a shot inside the lobby. She was subsequently confronted by responding officers outside the building and was shot. Police later confirmed that she died at a hospital on September 4.
Linda Jean Croteau Identified
The Port Orange Police Department identified the woman involved in the September 3 incident as 71-year-old Linda Jean Croteau.
According to police, Croteau entered the department's lobby shortly after 8:30 a.m. while carrying a handgun. She interacted with civilian employees in the records area before allegedly displaying the firearm and firing a round toward the area where employees were working.
No civilian employee was struck by the gunfire.
Shooting at Port Orange Police Department
The incident occurred at the Port Orange Police Department headquarters on South Clyde Morris Boulevard.
Police Chief Manuel Marino said Croteau remained inside the lobby for several minutes before leaving the building. Three responding officers then confronted her outside.
According to police, she was still holding the firearm when officers confronted her. An officer-involved shooting followed, and Croteau was struck by police gunfire.
She was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Linda Jean Croteau Dies From Her Injuries
Croteau initially remained hospitalized following the shooting.
On September 4, Port Orange police confirmed that she had died from her injuries. Local reporting subsequently identified her as a 71-year-old Port Orange-area woman.
Her death means that the incident resulted in a fatality, while no officers or civilian employees inside the police department were physically injured.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Investigates
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the officer-involved shooting.
The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the confrontation outside the police department, including the actions of the officers involved and the events immediately preceding the shooting.
The officers involved have not been publicly identified in the available reporting.
Because the investigation remains ongoing, conclusions about the officers' actions or any potential legal consequences should not be made before investigators complete their review.
What Happened Inside the Police Department?
According to Port Orange police, the incident began when Croteau entered the police department lobby carrying a handgun.
Police said she interacted with civilian employees in the records section before brandishing the weapon and firing a single shot toward the area where employees were working.
She then left the building and was confronted by officers in the parking lot.
No civilian employees or police officers were injured during the incident.
The police department later released surveillance footage showing portions of the incident inside and outside the building.
Motive Remains Unknown
Authorities have not announced a confirmed motive explaining why Croteau entered the police department with a firearm or why she fired the shot inside the lobby.
Police Chief Manuel Marino previously said investigators were still determining whether Croteau had any prior interactions with the department.
Those questions remain part of the broader investigation.
Port Orange Community Reacts
The incident shocked the Port Orange community because it occurred inside the city's police headquarters.
The police department said its thoughts were with Croteau's family, as well as officers, employees, and everyone affected by the incident.
For Croteau's family and those who knew her, her death marks a difficult and painful loss.
Remembering Linda Jean Croteau
Linda Jean Croteau was 71 years old when she died following the September 3 confrontation with Port Orange police.
Publicly available reporting about her personal life remains limited. Additional information about her family, background, and life should be included only when confirmed by relatives, authorities, an obituary, or another reliable source.
Her death has become the central outcome of a developing investigation involving the Port Orange Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Cause of Death
Authorities and local news reports state that Croteau died from injuries sustained after she was shot by law enforcement officers during the September 3 confrontation.
A separate medical finding detailing the official cause and manner of death has not been identified in the sources reviewed.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement's investigation will provide additional information about the circumstances of the officer-involved shooting as it progresses.
Funeral and Memorial Information
Verified information concerning Linda Jean Croteau's funeral arrangements, visitation, memorial service, or family obituary was not available in the sources reviewed.
Those details should be added when officially released by her family, funeral home, or another authoritative source.
Investigation Continues
The death of Linda Jean Croteau remains connected to an active investigation into the September 3 officer-involved shooting.
Investigators are examining what happened inside the police department, the confrontation outside the building, and the actions of the officers involved.
As the investigation continues, additional official information may clarify the circumstances surrounding the shooting and Croteau's death.
For now, Linda Jean Croteau is remembered as the 71-year-old woman who died after the confrontation outside the Port Orange Police Department, while investigators continue working to establish the complete circumstances of the incident.
