A Lawton welfare check turned into an armed standoff Saturday morning when a woman fired a shotgun round through her front door toward a police officer, according to court records. Tracy Bowlin, 52, was taken into custody after SWAT deployed gas into her home on NW Ashby Drive and she exited through the back. She was medically cleared before being booked, and no officers were injured during the incident.
Police had responded after Bowlin’s ex-husband called to report she was trying to kill herself but had driven off from the residence. According to the affidavit, Lieutenant John Schwenk heard a firearm being loaded inside before the first shot came through the door in the direction of Officer Sierra Darnell, who was positioned behind a brick wall. Bowlin reportedly waved a weapon at officers through windows and fired twice more at SWAT members before the standoff ended.
Bowlin made her initial appearance Wednesday in Stephens County District Court, where she was held on $500,000 bond on three felony counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2027, and a no-contact order is in place regarding her ex-husband.
What’s your reaction to this story, and how should our community respond when a mental health crisis turns dangerous? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
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