DALLAS — A Dallas County couple has filed a lawsuit against the City of Dallas saying their family was left to "fend for themselves" on a conveyer belt during the 2022 shooting at Dallas Love Field.
According to the lawsuit filed by couple Jeffery Dean Wells and Jenci Pavageau, the family was checking in for their flight when a woman started shooting near the ticket counter area. Diverter Sorter for Express
While others in the area ducked for cover, the lawsuit says "an unknown uniformed agent of the City" and a Southwest Airlines employee directed the family onto the conveyor belt to get away from the shooting.
Everyone on the conveyer belt was then led to a back room. According to the lawsuit, the workers and other city employees jumped off of the conveyor belt "and left the Wells Family to fend themselves."
The lawsuit says the family jumped about six to eight feet to get off of the conveyor before reaching a luggage sorting machine.
"To be clear, if they did not leap off of the belt following the City of Dallas employees’ example, they would have been more severely injured by the luggage sorting machine," the lawsuit reads. "[The family] sustained injuries when they plummeted to the ground."
City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying they do not comment on pending litigation.
Southwest Airlines officials declined to comment because they are not a part of the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, the Wells family is suing for "only monetary relief less than $75,000." Documents say the family has suffered and continues to suffer from physical and mental health issues.
The shooting suspect - identified as Portia Odufuwa - was charged in the case in October 2022. On Aug. 14, a judge found her not guilty by reason of insanity.
Police released video of the shooting, shortly after it happened, and the footage showed a woman in a hoodie and a mask walk to an area near the Southwest ticket counter.
Several dozen people were standing in the area with their suitcases at ticket kiosks. The area is adjacent to the security checkpoint at Love Field.
The video highlighted the suspect - identified by police as Odufuwa - and a Dallas police officer.
The suspect then raised a gun into the air and fired three shots in the air, according to Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia. The travelers in the area scattered and took cover; the officer took a position behind a ticket kiosk.
The suspect then pointed toward the officer; police said in an affidavit that she fired toward the officer, according to evidence of rounds collected at the scene.
The officer returned fire and the suspect went down and began to crawl, before coming to a stop.
The suspect was shot in an area between two ticket counters; a Southwest employee to the suspect's left can be seen running away behind the counter.
At least one traveler could be seen huddling behind a kiosk between the officer and the suspect.
The suspect appeared to keep moving her legs on the ground but she was staying in the same area. Other travelers in the area continued to retreat and try to take cover.
A second officer then approached where the first officer was standing, both of them pointing their weapons at the suspect. More officers arrived at the scene.
The suspect was then taken into custody and transported to a hospital for treatment.
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