Dallas police said they believe the same man robbed four women this week in separate incidents, shooting one victim in the head.
Linda Self, 63, is recovering at home from a gunshot wound to the head. She said she and a co-worker were walking from a bus stop toward AT&T's corporate headquarters, where they work, when the man came up to them in the 400 block of South Akard Street at about 5:30 a.m.
"When he come across the street, he just got right in front of me, and he said, 'Stop!'" she said. "He said, 'Give me your purse!' I said, 'No!' He said it again, 'Give me your purse!' I said, 'No!'"
Self said the man knocked her to the ground, and her co-worker ran for help.
"When I get mad, I get loud, very loud," Self said. "He said, 'I'll shoot you!' And I said, 'Well, shoot me!' And he pulled that gun out of his pocket and shot me."
Blood gushed from her forehead, and she yelled for help from the sidewalk.
"I probably was wrong in not giving him my purse," she said. "But I said, 'I've lived too long and worked too hard to have somebody that this is their way of trying to make a living.'"
The bullet did not go through her head.
"I believe, you know, it just wasn't my time," Self said.
Two other women were robbed in two other locations in downtown Dallas earlier Thursday morning. The first robbery happened at 2:30 a.m. in the 4100 block of Commerce Street, and the second happened three hours later in the 500 block of South Ervay Street. Investigators also said another woman was robbed at about 9:15 a.m. Wednesday along Commerce Street. Police said they believe the same man is responsible for all four robberies.
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Police said Self was the only victim to struggle.
Crime Stoppers and AT&T are offering a joint reward of $20,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case.
AT&T employees said they fear for their safety.
"With the city government office just across the way and everything, you know, you figure, you do assume that you're a little more safe, but at this point, anything can happen," Monica Thomas said.
Dallas police advise people to walk in groups or find a security guard to escort them, if possible. They said people should give in to the demands of a robber and make a lot of noise to get the attention of people around them.
Investigators said they believe the man will likely strike again. Extra uniformed and uncover officers will be in downtown Dallas on Friday morning.
NBC DFW's Ellen Goldberg contributed to this report.
