Hospital Shootings: A Tragic Reality

Unfortunately, hospitals have been the site of several mass shootings in recent years. In the United States alone, there have been at least 17 fatal hospital shootings since 2002. One of the most recent and deadliest shootings occurred on November 19, 2018, at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, where four people, including the shooter, lost their lives. This incident has brought to light the vulnerability of healthcare facilities and the need for improved security measures to prevent such tragedies from occurring.

The 2019 Mercy Hospital shooting in Chicago

On November 19, 2018, a mass shooting took place at the Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. The gunman, Juan Lopez, killed his ex-fiancée, Dr. Tamara O'Neal, in the hospital parking lot. Lopez then entered the hospital and shot and killed Dayna Less, a 24-year-old pharmacy resident, and Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez. He fired about 40 shots during the shooting. Lopez died following a shootout with police, with a police bullet to the abdomen.

The incident was sparked by a confrontation in the parking lot between O'Neal, a 38-year-old emergency room doctor, and Lopez, her ex-fiancé. O'Neal ran over to a group of people for help and was on her phone attempting to call 9-1-1, telling them that Lopez would kill her. Lopez demanded a ring from O'Neal and, when she didn't have it, he shot her six times.

Lopez, 32, had a valid FOID (Firearm Owners Identification) card and a concealed carry gun permit. In the five years before the shooting, he had purchased four weapons. He had previously threatened to shoot up the Chicago Fire Academy after being terminated as a trainee for improper conduct. During separation proceedings in 2014, Lopez's wife at the time filed a petition for an order of protection, alleging threats and harassment, as well as unsafe and threatening conduct with a gun.

The shooting left four people dead, including the gunman, and was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. hospital in at least 16 years. It highlighted the vulnerability of healthcare facilities and the need for improved security measures. In the aftermath, Mercy Hospital in Chicago increased security, with officers stationed at every entrance and a system to electronically notify employees of armed intruders.

The family of Dayna Less filed a lawsuit against the hospital and its hired security company, SDI Security Inc., alleging that they failed to follow their own protocols and issue a "Code Silver" alert for an active shooter or implement a lockdown. The suit contended that these measures could have saved Less's life. The family received a $20 million settlement, a record in Illinois for wrongful-death cases with no dependents.

The 2018 Westchester Medical Center shooting in New York

On August 8, 2018, 71-year-old Richard DeLucia walked into the Westchester Medical Center in New York and opened fire in a fourth-floor room, killing his 70-year-old wife, Ann DeLucia, before taking his own life. The couple died of single gunshot wounds and were found to be the only ones in the hospital room at the time.

In a note left at their Yorktown home, Richard DeLucia expressed his distress over his wife's medical issues and his desire to end her suffering. The incident was an isolated event, with no comprehensive searches of hospital visitors conducted, although armed security was posted at every entrance to the building.

The shooting brought to light the intricate challenge of securing buildings filled with vulnerable and ill individuals. It also highlighted the need for hospitals to stay ahead of potential gun violence threats. As a result, hospitals across the country have implemented crucial improvements, including enhanced staff training, technological upgrades, and focused security measures.

The Westchester Medical Center shooting was part of a relatively small trend of hospital shootings across the country. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine research, there were 154 hospital-based shootings in the United States between 2000 and 2011, resulting in 235 deaths and injuries. While many of these incidents occurred outside hospital buildings or near entrances, indicating that metal detectors may not be a comprehensive solution, about 30% took place in emergency departments.

The 2017 Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center shooting in New Hampshire

On September 12, 2017, a 70-year-old female patient at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center's intensive care unit in Lebanon, New Hampshire, was fatally shot by her son. The suspect, Travis Frink, was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder. Frink was detained as he tried to leave the hospital grounds, and no one else was injured in the incident.

The victim was identified as 70-year-old Pamela Ferriere of Groton, New Hampshire, and Frink's mother. Authorities released very little information about Frink, although a 2013 news story reported that police suspected alcohol played a role in the death of his wife and son, whose bodies were found in a running car in an apartment complex.

The shooting sparked panic at the hospital, with employees and patients evacuated to the parking lot. One patient, Susan Flynn, described how she and her husband escaped to a patio after being told to run by police officers. Joanne Conroy, the president of Dartmouth-Hitchcock, praised her staff for their response and noted that everyone had taken part in several active shooter training sessions.

The New Hampshire Department of Justice and the New Hampshire State Police investigated the incident, with additional support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Vermont State Police. The state attorney general's office also launched an investigation.

The 2017 Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center shooting in New York

On June 30, 2017, a former physician at the Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center in New York City opened fire inside the hospital, killing one doctor and wounding six others before taking his own life. The gunman was identified as 45-year-old Dr. Henry Bello, a former employee at the hospital who had resigned before he was fired. Bello was reportedly disgruntled and sought out a former colleague, a physician whom he blamed for his resignation. However, that person was not at the hospital at the time.

Bello was armed with an AR-15 rifle and wearing a white lab coat when he entered the hospital. He first encountered a doctor on the 16th floor, yelling at them for not helping him when he was "getting in trouble." He then fired his rifle, missing the doctor but hitting several others standing at a nurses' station. Bello then poured a container of flammable liquid on the floor and ignited it, creating chaos and panic throughout the hospital.

He proceeded to the 17th floor, where he shot two physicians, including Dr. Tracy Sin-Yee Tam, a 32-year-old family medicine physician, who tragically lost her life. Bello then barricaded himself on the 16th floor and set himself on fire before shooting himself in the head, ending his own life. The hospital staff and patients experienced immense fear and trauma during the attack, with medical workers ripping a fire hose from the wall to use as a tourniquet on one victim and witnesses describing the horrific sight of the gunman's torso aflame.

The shooting raised concerns about the security measures in hospitals and the vulnerability of healthcare facilities to such attacks. Investigators sought to understand how Bello gained access to the secured floors. The hospital spokesman, Errol Schneer, acknowledged that Bello was a "disgruntled" ex-employee. The tragic incident highlighted the need for enhanced security measures and protocols to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The 2016 Parrish Medical Center shooting in Florida

On July 17, 2016, a man entered the Parrish Medical Center in Titusville, Florida, and fatally shot a 92-year-old patient and a 36-year-old hospital attendant. The victims, Cynthia Zingsheim and Carrie Rouzer, were sitting in Zingsheim's room when the gunman, 29-year-old David Owens, opened fire.

Two unarmed security guards entered the room moments after the shots were fired and tackled the suspect to the ground, holding him until police arrived and took him into custody. The quick reaction of the Parrish Medical Center staff was praised by Titusville Police Chief John Lau, who said, "I cannot stress enough, the response of the Parrish Medical Center staff, without a doubt, saved more lives." The center's spokeswoman, Natalie Sellers, also commended the staff, saying, "I want to commend our staff and the immediate and fast response they implemented."

The shooting appears to have been extremely random, with authorities finding no motive for the attack and no apparent connection between the suspect and the victims. Owens has been charged with two counts of murder.

This incident is a tragic reminder of the vulnerability of healthcare facilities and the importance of preparedness and quick response in the face of such threats.

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