A West Virginia lady of unknown identity is being hailed as a hero after drawing a firearm and fatally shooting a guy who was firing into a crowd of people celebrating graduation and a birthday outside a Charleston apartment complex.

On Wednesday night, partygoers confronted 37-year-old Dennis Butler for racing through the property while children were playing in the neighborhood. According to police, Butler was upset when he left the area and returned shortly after that with an AR-15-style rifle, firing at hundreds of partygoers. Attending the gathering, the lady shot and killed Butler.

Tony Hazelett, the chief of detectives for the Charleston Police Department, told reporters on Thursday, "This lady was carrying a legal firearm; she was a law-abiding citizen who prevented probably 20 to 30 deaths." "She confronted the threat and neutralized it. She did not flee the danger. She engaged it, thereby avoiding a massacre in Charleston."

Butler was the lone victim since nobody else at the party was hurt. There will be no charges filed against the woman. She and numerous witnesses awaited the arrival of law enforcement and assisted investigators.

"She is a law-abiding community member who engaged the threat last night and saved several lives," Hazelett explained. He continued, "She made the correct decision. I'm not sure if anyone else would have done that."

The incident occurred barely one day after a shooter aged 18 killed 19 children and two instructors at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Police in the Uvalde tragedy have been chastised for sitting in a hallway outside the classrooms where the gunman was held for more than 45 minutes. However, students within the classrooms repeatedly dialed 911 for assistance.

According to authorities, Butler had an "extensive" criminal record, including two felony convictions, making it illegal to possess a firearm. According to reports, he also had a history of dropped accusations because witnesses refused to testify against him. In 2016, he was accused of shooting and pistol-whipping a lady, but the case was dismissed due to the lack of willing witnesses.