Woman arrested after restroom standoff

HOUSTON According to a Houston police spokesperson, around 2:35pm a female suspect, identified as Fertinia Marie Gasaway, 45, in handcuffs was being escorted by an officer down the hall to a courtroom to face charges of Medicare fraud when she began to struggle with him to get away. Gasaway reportedly said she had a gun and that he was going to have to kill her.

Gasaway and the officer both fell to the floor while struggling. She fell into a restroom and the officer heard something hit the floor. Assuming it may be a gun, officials ordered an evacuation of nearby courtrooms, but not the whole building.

About 20 minutes later, police say Gasaway opened the restroom door and officers shot her with a beanbag. That had no effect. About 30 minutes after that, Gasaway opened the door again and officers zapped her with a Taser.

Gasaway was taken into custody again around 3:35pm. She actually dropped her sunglasses when she fell. No gun was found.

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