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Mercy Hospital (courtesy ABC6)

“One female employee is dead and two are wounded in a shooting at the Wellness Center on the Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital campus,” myfoxphilly.com reports. “The shooting happened at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the Wellness Center, which is across the street from Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital on the 1500 block of Lansdowne Avenue . . .  According to [Delaware County DA Jack] Whelan, the shooter came into the 3rd floor Psychiatric office and opened fire . . . Whelan confirmed one female employee, who was a case worker, is dead and the doctor has a graze wound to the head. The doctor is expected to be treated and released from HUP. Whelan confirms the suspect also suffered three gunshot wounds to the torso area and is in critical condition at HUP. He is undergoing surgery at this time.” Once again, it looks like a good guy with a gun stopped a bad guy with a gun . . .

Police believe there was a gunfire exchange between the doctor and suspect. According to Whelan, two guns were retrieved from the scene. The suspect did have psychiatric issues and was a patient, according Whelan. Whelan also says various employees wrestled suspect to the ground and a doctor and case worker helped apprehend the suspect.

Police continue to investigate. The motive remains unclear.

According to the Mercy Health System’s Code of Conduct, “Employees are prohibited from bringing firearms or explosives of any kind into the workplace.” If, indeed, an armed doctor shot the killer, he faces the loss of his job and his license to practice medicine. [h/t DN]

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164 COMMENTS

  1. I work in a hospital and I can’t even leave a pistol in my truck. Effectively disarmed all week…

    • I pick up at a hospital and have full reign two days a week and honestly? F the rules, I carry 100% of the time I’m there and elsewhere. Also, Puyallup, WA? Bellingham here.

    • I went to the dermatologist yesterday and my pistol was with me the whole time. Waiting for the biopsy to confirm Basal carcinoma which is very curable so no worries. Other good news, no one shot the place up but if they tried, I was prepared to confront them. Too much nude sunbathing I guess.

        • You call me a moron when you don’t even know what your rights are. Ever hear of the 4th amendment dumbass? That is one of the major problems with people like you today and why we have the type of govt we have—-low information voters brainwashed by the education system and media. Security isn’t the police and even if the hospital hires police for security they still have no probable cause or reasonable suspicion to violate your 4th amendment right unless you are dumb enough to give it to them or they see something like a gun or drugs etc sitting out in plain view. They MAY be able to instruct you to park elsewhere for non compliance but really shouldn’t be able to do that either. Also a hospital (unless it is a mental hospital) in PA is not listed as a place off limits to carry a concealed firearm and any “no guns” signs have no force of law. Thankfully the good Dr had his firearm and stopped more people from getting killed or injured. Do yourself a favor and get educated before you open your trap and make asinine comments.

  2. The shooter is in surgery? If he is in operation at the hospital he just shot up, that operation is most likely…
    How do you say, push the bullets in deeper, in Greek?

      • ww.youtube.com/watch?v=XNx4Lhe6-L0

        same lobby side footage as cam 1 only contains the whole incident and audio (although it’s way the hell off with the video.)

    • According to google translate:

      Greek:
      ωθήσει τις σφαίρες σε βαθύτερα

      Latin:
      tela in urna profundior

      • Sproxe tyn sfaira pio vathi would be the modern Greek phonetic pronunciation. What you posted is correct in the rarely used(legal documents etc.) katharevousa high Greek.

      • Except by helping him, they are likely causing harm. Odds are, he’ll eventually get out of jail and kill again – thus by saving his life, they are likely killing another (or more). It’s kind of like Batman and Superman’s “no killing” code – how many innocent people died because Batman refused to just kill the Joker and Superman refused to kill Lex Luthor?

        • Correctomundo.

          Some people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them.

          On a side note: a doctor is bound by the Hippocratic oath as a nature of his job… but when the shooting starts a doctor is just like anyone else: he’s either a gunfighter or a target.

          He’s free to become a doctor again AFTER the shooting stops.

    • Not cool to suggest that professional medical staff plan to willfully neglect their duty to save a life.

      • They don’t have to “neglect” anything, just take a bathroom break. When you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go…

      • 90,000+ deaths and 200,000+ maimed annually due to medical malpractice in the US. Willful, accidental or otherwise. Not mere lawsuits.

        This will not improve with Obamacare. Having said that, I am thankful for my access to healthcare.

        • 09% of all malpractice is just to extort money. I have seen it. Also, I have seen malpractice but lawyers couldn’t make enough money so they refused the case. Thus, it is all about money. Doubt any real malpractice is out there at more then 10% of the cases.

  3. I just heard this on the radio, people interviewed on the scene seemed to be all for “guns everywhere”.

    • Ha! You know the national media might try to suppress this stuff but it doesn’t matter because the difference is being made on the local grassroots level. The police forces know the good this does. The people in these situations where somebody saves them knows the good this does. Conceal carry is going way up all over the nation. When even the Detroit police chief encourages law abiding citizens to be armed because it helps stop and reduce crime… changes are happening. The national media can ignore it all they want to. The anti-gun people can deny it all they want to. People with 2 brain cells to rub together figure out what the truth is and the changes happen slowly and quietly among the people.

      • Couldn’t agree more. It’s amazing how many of my anti-gun friends have started coming around in the last year and in some cases completed turned around to the point that they’ve gotten their CCW and are now carrying themselves. This is awesome to see the media’s agenda completely fail.

  4. Lose of job, perhaps.

    Loss of medical license? Long shot.

    Good on him for doing the right thing.

    Better to lose your job than your life.

    Thankfully, at my current job, I can carry on the job and my G19 is resting comfortably against my starboard side and my two spare magazines balance things out on the port side of things.

    And the P3AT rests comfortably in my cargo pocket.

    John
    John

    • Since it occurred in a psych ward, depending on how the prosecutor and judge want to stretch the definition of “mental hospital”, he could be found guilty of violating 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5122, which would also result in him being prohibited from owning firearms in Pa. under 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6105.

    • A doctor who successfully prevented the death of additional hospital patients or staff will have zero issue winning a wrongful termination lawsuit.

    • Loss of job: actually, he is not an employee of the hospital, he is an affiliated professional. The Code of Conduct, while clearly barring employees from bringing in firearms, is not so clear as to associated professionals. But they may not want to renew his contract. Loss of license? Unlikely unless he is convicted of a felony, which at least at the moment seems unlikely. He will get a jury trial if charged.

    • Good for you John Boch.I never leave home without my G friends, 17 or 26 or even 23.If more good people carried we could soon rid the United States of some of the trash.

  5. I hope the NRA goes to bat for this Guy.
    Saving lives all the way around.
    Suck on liberty, Shannon Watts

  6. Doctors are not necessarily employees at hospitals where they have privileges, most doctors at hospitals are actually independent contractors, and are subject to a different set of rules as employees. Doctors that regularly carry opiate pain meds often carry all the time.

    My educated guess is that this doctor will not lose privileges at the hospital.

    • +1! On top of that did anyone notice that he put three shots into center of mass. I bet this Dr. takes his shooting as seriously as his practice of medicine. Good job doc!

      • Nah. Word I get is he emptied a .32 and hit the bad guy 3 times from tic-tac distance while trying to hide under a desk, including one in the arm. Not a criticism, mind you, I might have messed my pants, never know ’til you know.

  7. ARG why do they even undergo surgery on this asshole, hes already at the hospital…. Im sure they have SOMEWHERE an extra stiff could go.

    • He might be an amoral person with no respect for the sanctity of human life (although given the location, it’s quite likely he was mentally unstable), but that doesn’t justify the rest of us treating him that way.

  8. The doctor who shot the armed thug deserves a medal for saving the lives of many other wouldbe victims. Any talk of disciplinary action against he or she is insanity.

  9. I’m from Delco. Delco men and women stick to their guns and concealed carry. The common response to one of those “no guns” pictorial signs is “Mine doesn’t look like that!” You’d have to be nuts to try to shoot people up in Delco.

    • Well, the dude WAS nuts, so your theory is sound. I also know plenty of people who just avoid places that are gun-free zones when they can, and when they can’t, they carry anyway (unless it’s a govt building) because something like a $500 fine isn’t a big enough deterrent to be worth your life. I know my life is worth more than $500. These gun-free morons can suck it.

      • Yeah, a friend took me along to tour gubt buildings in DC a couple years back, we were standing in line for one and I asked what the line was for, I was told “a metal detector”, so I had to go back to the car for a minute. If you get my drift.

  10. Hmmm. I’m a little skeptical that the guy will lose his license, since he did in fact uphold his Hippocratic oath and what-not (just by different means). He’ll very likely lose his job, perhaps, but maybe (hopefully) not his license.

    • The Hippocratic Oath is not legally binding and is mostly voluntary on the part of graduating students. Some med schools don’t have a swearing-in ceremony, although most do.

      Violating the Oath is not grounds for loss of license unless a component of the Oath has been made part of the state law and regulations that govern physician licensure.

    • He cannot lose his job. He may lose his priveledges at that hospital, but he owns his own practice. Unless he looses his license (carrying a firearm into a hospital is a felony in many places.), nothing other than all his patients deciding to leave him can take away his job.

    • I already caught one news website editing their to delete the part about the armed doctor stopping what would have been a mass killing.

    • The local (Nashville) totally unbiased CBS affiliate made sure we knew about the “tragic, terrible, awful shooting at a PA hospital” but made no mention of the heroic actions of the doctor.

    • I saw one of the Gun Hatin’ Clubs today simply post the story, complete with the “Doctor saves lives by shooting patient” headline. Then they pulled an Obama and completely sidestepped the 800 pound gorilla and went straight for “How did the mentally unstable shooter get his gun?” Myopia is epidemic.

  11. If he does lose his job/license (not saying he will), he certainly has the option of writing/speaking authoritatively on armed self defense. Unlike 99% of the so-called “experts” out there.

  12. Good Guy with a gun, stops Bad Guy with a gun!

    Good Guy without a gun, gets killed by bad Guy with a gun?

    you pick, I rest my case!

  13. Bravo! This will never make MSM. But that’s ok. More proof that our side is right, and theirs is wrong.

  14. As a doc and CCW permit holder that walks into work every day unarmed, I’ve written an unsubmitted letter to my hospital’s administration outlining my dissatisfaction with our blanket no weapons policy. Maybe it’s time to send it in and hopefully effect some change.

    • Have you considered not submitting that letter and carrying anyway? Doesn’t this event make you want to do that? No-one will know until you really need it if you conceal it carefully. Or maybe they have you going thru metal detectors?

  15. It’s a shame the hospital has that stupid no guns policy, forcing all of their employees to carry subcompacts. I’ll bet that without this policy the doctor would have got 5 hits on the bad guy instead of just 3.

  16. The chances of him losing his medical license over this are highly unlikely. I’m not even sure if it is within state their guidelines to do so. To lose your license you have to improperly prescribe medication, abuse a patient, get arrested for assault, etc. Sometimes extreme negligence can cause you to lose your license, like operating on a patient while intoxicated. However this doctor was not committing any crimes, misdemeanor or felony, when this occurred. He might get fired, but he will keep practicing medicine.

  17. If, indeed, an armed doctor shot the killer, he faces the loss of his job and his license to practice medicine.

    To my knowledge, his medical license is not in any jeopardy. I’m not aware of any law or regulation in any state’s medical boards that prohibits a doctor from carrying or using a gun in self-defense.

  18. IF he loses his job/license in PA, he should just come to Texas. We’ll have a parade in his honor, name a hospital after him, and make him Chief of Heavy Metals Implant Surgery at UT Medical School.

    • In PA you can open carry a handgun. Also (strange but true) at 18, while you can’t buy a handgun or handgun ammo in a store, or get a LTCF, you can own, possess, and OC a handgun gifted to you by a lineal relative. Texas should move to PA.

        • 2 Pennsylvania words: Handgun registration. PA is not worth it compared to Texas.

          PA does not have handgun (or any gun) registration. There’s enough misinformation out there without you spreading more.

      • You can do that in VA and skip the never ending drought. It does get a bit humid in the summer here though.

  19. This is how a mental health professional determines someone is a danger to others. Anything else is opinion/speculation regardless of how well he/she is educated and trained. There are no clairvoyant psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers or therapists.

    It is fortunate the doctor took immediate and direct action rather than simply notifying the authorities so the shooter could be entered into the NICS database.

  20. “One female employee is dead and two are wounded in a shooting at the Wellness Center on the Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital campus,”
    According to the Mercy Health System’s Code of Conduct, “Employees are prohibited from bringing firearms or explosives of any kind into the workplace.” If, indeed, an armed doctor shot the killer, he faces the loss of his job and his license to practice medicine. [h/t DN]

    AND DO NOT FORGET HE IS ALIVE BECAUSE HE USED THE GUN!!!!!

  21. Seems to make a hell of a lot of good sense for Psych doctors to be armed especially if they work with the tough cases.

    • Good article, but I had to laugh at one line.

      “Officers, armed with heavy artillery, moved in to secure the scene.”

      Holy crap, now SWAT teams get 155mm howitzers, MLRSes, and JDAMs!

    • Every worker was checked while leaving the building.

      That, my friends, is what full-on retarded looks like.

    • “They said Plotts was angry because the hospital posted a sign declaring the building a ‘gun-free zone.’ ”

      That escalated quickly.

    • Well, linked article states the Dr’s gun was “legally registered”, not that such reports are necessarily correct. So, does PA require handgun registration, or not?
      And he’d been seeing this fruitcake for over 20 years? No wonder he was carrying.

  22. Someone needs to tell Shannon, she thinks this doesn’t happen. Have to wonder how the “moms” will handle this one.

    • “this story isnt even on the front page of cnn”

      It surely would have if the murderer had free reign to murder! But, no massacre, a CCW holder was a hero, so this story will be swept under the rug.

      • The way the mainstream media reports the news (or often fails to report it) is pretty much why most of us think the world is so terrible. If they would actually report these types of stories regularly, I bet we would all have a brighter outlook on life in general. This is why I don’t watch TV, I’d rather not be manipulated like that.

  23. Site your sources. Where did the truth about guns learn that the good doctor is facing loss of his job and medical license? Or are you just assuming?

    • You mean “cite”, and I think the answer is “assuming”, which is fair since he violated the clear directives of his workplace. A better question would be “why not?”, or insisting the workplace rules be freaking CHANGED!

  24. I’m disarmed at my hospital job as well and not happy about it. But it is grounds for immediate dismissal.

    I’m guessing that the administration will do a CYA “we still don’t think anyone should carry because it could lead to innocent lives being lost. Your best option is still to follow our guidelines, shelter in place, and contact hospital security and law enforcement.” That’s usually the response – not focusing on the good outcome, but focusing on the theoretical bad outcome. It’s the same argument you hear about concealed carry where multiple CCLs will “kill innocent people in the crossfire” even though it never actually happens.

    Probably temporary suspension of privileges at the hospital or administrative leave during the investigation. Loss of job is technically a possibility but they will probably allow him to continue, fearing the countersuit he would launch pointing out how woefully inadequate their “security” measures were to keep patients and staff safe.

    • Some news outlets – Fox, ABC, picking up the story. The DA says preliminary indications are that the doctor, a psychiatrist, acted in self defense facing a threat to his life and acted “bravely.”

    • Great idea, a “gun free” hospital – except there are no metal detectors or other physical security in place, the security guards are unarmed, the rooms don’t lock – that could be dangerous after all ! – police have to get in from the outside and work their way to wherever you are, the staff are subject to immediate firing if they are found with a firearm…the only people that actually carry are visitors and patients. Talk about target rich….

  25. Tell that doc to move to Texas! More than a “few” carry all day every day—-you never know what is under that lab coat!

  26. Note that he may have an out. Many times doctors are not “Employees” of the hospital. Instead they work their practice AT the hospital but are more akin to tenants of the hospital and not employees.

  27. Probably saved a bunch of lives, waiting for the full story. Loss of job? He was looking for work when they hired him anyway. Loss of license to practice? Maybe a long process but doubtful. Probably have to move to another state. Meh! Texas needs good docs!

  28. Goof for the doctor. I hope he’s OK. There’s a lot of security theatre in hospitals. Lots of pretense of protecting people. Protect yourself.

  29. I dont mind no carry areas IF they are willing to assume responsibilty for disarming me: IE i get to sue them for failing to protect me if i can prove i could have had a better chance armed instead of unarmed.

    But getting anyone to accept responsiblity for anything seems to be a loosing proposition.

  30. The doctor won’t lose his license- you generally have to commit a felony or commit behavior that is pretty beyond the pale. He probably won’t even have any action taken against his license.

    His job depends to a large degree on hospital management and medical staff guidelines. If he’s an independent psychiatrist who just happens to be working in the psych inpatient unit as part of his medical staff privileges, he’s going to be fine. If he’s employed by the hospital, it may get more tricky…

    • Story linked above says the hospital ha released a statement commending him and stating his actions saved lives, I think his job is safe, hope he doesn’t suffer too much anguish.

  31. Robert Farago appears to be the author of the words at the end which claim he may lose his license. Mr. Farago, as you can see from several other comments, many of your readers are wondering upon what do you base your claim that he may lose his license.

    Please follow up with more information.

  32. Ok, so he comes to the hospital, shoots people, then gets treated at the same hospital for his gunshot wounds – maybe the hospital should refuse him treatment?

  33. ” Once again, it looks like a good guy with a gun stopped a bad guy with a gun . . .”

    That can’t be…. Shannon told me it doesn’t happen!

  34. Even the chief of police is on the doctor’s side: the Seattle Times is running the story off the wire:

    “The hospital has a policy barring anyone except on-duty law enforcement officers from carrying a weapon anywhere on its campus, a spokeswoman for the Mercy Health System said.

    But Yeadon Police Chief Donald Molineux said that “without a doubt, I believe the doctor saved lives.”

    “Without that firearm, this guy (the patient) could have went out in the hallway and just walked down the offices until he ran out of ammunition,” the chief said. “

  35. Still amazes me that ” education don’t fix stupid”. Scares FHA crap outa me that these ADMINISTRATORS are the ones deciding who gets what care (who lives or dies).

  36. The doctor might face the loss of a job, but medical licensing is not subject to the whims of any employer.

  37. Man this happened six hours ago and just watched the news and didn’t hear a thing about it. Things that make you go HMMMMM!

    • It’s the agenda. It’s a good guy with a gun story. The mainstream media is going to bury it. Evey little gun shooting anymore is in the paper and online immediately, but not this one.

  38. One thing the courageous Doctor has going for him is that the righteous shooting occurred in Pennsylvania, if he had saved lives under identical circumstances across the river in the Peoples Republic of New Jersey he’d face certain arrest, conviction, and incarceration for a major felony gun crime.

    There are probably enough pro-gun voters in The Keystone State to deter the progressive liberal anti gun politicians and bureaucrats controlling Philly and other parts of the state from trying to make an example out of the good Doctor out of fear that public backlash might lead to additional pro gun legislation.

    Best case scenario for the Doctor: No legal ramifications and minor administrative action by the hospital.

    Worst case scenario for the Doctor: Forced to mount a major and costly defense to criminal and/or civil actions. But still, better to be judged by 12 (or some chicken$#it administrative body) than carried by 6.

  39. I am a medical professional (not a doctor), and the place I work is pro-gun and pro-carry. I carry every day. I hope I never have to draw my weapon, but I’m very thankful I have it if I need it! The above article and scenario is the exact reason I carry.

  40. According to the Mercy Health System’s Code of Conduct, “Employees are prohibited from bringing firearms or explosives of any kind into the workplace.” If, indeed, an armed doctor shot the killer, he faces the loss of his job and his license to practice medicine. Sure, why not? We can all work in free fire zones and get fired if we try to defend ourselves. Of course, if the good Doctor had not stopped the bad guy, the clarion call for a greater and wider gun free zone with more badly needed commonsense gun laws would go forth by the liberal media.

  41. If it works for MDA, let’s let it work for us as well. Time to unleash your inner troll people! Follow the link below, look up the board of directors, and let’s FLOOD them with calls, emails, and letters “suggesting” they allow their employees to express their God given right to defend their own lives since their security is so obviously unable to do the job they are paid for. If Moms Demand Action can get huge corporations to ban firearms after exactly zero incidents, maybe we can get one to reverse their policy after such a horrible one! (yes, I know this will never happen, but maybe it’ll save this hero’s job, and he deserves it for saving other’s lives.)

    http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/23-2212638/mercy-health-system-southeastern-pennsylvania.aspx#

      • There is nothing wrong with posting your opinion to that page, but we need to be careful and respectful in how we do it. Being rude and jackasses will not help the doctor. In fact, it may make things worse for him. If we display ourselves in a bad way, it will reflect badly on gun owners as a whole, and may in that way reflect badly on the doctor too. Just a reminder to everyone that we need to choose our words carefully.

      • There are also a few respectful comment on that page right now, in particularly one by a “Matthew Green.” It seeks acknowledgement for the doctor’s heroic deed, something Mercy Health System has disregarded at this time. I would “Like” his comment, but don’t have a FB account. I recommend to others who do have an account to “Like” that message, and possibly share it.

        The message, as it is at this time, reads:
        “You should also be grateful to the doctor who made the choice to properly defend himself, your staff, and other patients through his masterful firearm usage today. I hope that hospital administration takes that into account when considering their continued association with that medical professional.”

    • Yeah, you know what: that ended well, but I think those guys got a little high on the action. As someone else stated online not too long ago, a concealed weapons permit does not deputize you. It doesn’t give you the right to be a vigilante and chase after the suspect, you just have the right to defend yourself and others that are in imminent danger in your immediate vicinity. As soon as you get in your car and chase down the road after them, you no longer defending yourself, you are going on the offense, and that can make YOU the criminal. They are lucky they aren’t sitting in Jail right now, probably only due to the fact they didn’t shoot anyone.

  42. I believe that the shooter should be nursed to full health, beaten to near death and repeat till he repents to god and then finish the job. As should be done with all murderers and rapists. Thanks you

  43. People are less likely to open fire with multiple people open carrying versus open fire against public with no protection

    • I got money says when they ask him, he’ll complain about the Doc being armed in a “no guns” area, it wasn’t fair.

      • PA hospitals are not “GFZ’s” and “no guns” signs have no force of law here. The good Dr was well within his rights to be armed inside.

  44. If I was the Dr. I would not be worried about losing my job or Career. He is ALIVE, he should be grateful for that. Guns do save lives…

  45. One female employee is dead and two are wounded in a shooting at the Wellness Center on the Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital campus…

    No, no, no. One victim is wounded, and the attacker was also wounded.

    I wish media would stop lumping attacker injuries/casualties in with victim injury/casualty numbers when reporting these crimes.

  46. If the doctor is not an “employee” of the hospital, which is often the case, that Code of Conduct does not apply. One would have to know what is in his contract.

  47. If he looses his job and his licence, then, just like the patient, it will be OK for him to come back to this hospital and shoot up the communist who fired him.

    Win Win

  48. Sounds like the Doctor should carry a bigger gun as the bad guy survived three to the torso. Well done in any case.

  49. Wow. The title and fear-mongering in this article is so disingenuous. The article only makes conjecture, and quotes NO source saying he faces punishment. Maybe he does, but you’d never know it from reading this….the whole title of e piece is based on total conjecture posted in the last two sentences.
    Please try not to stir up a nest with BS, just because it pushes your narrative. And I say that as a CCW carrier since I was 26, a long time ago.

  50. Yep in PA it is not illegal to carry your firearm into hospitals except for mental hospitals. I worked in many of them from 2007-2014 and always carried mine. I was never questioned, stopped, refused parking or searched or had my vehicle searched nor would have I let anyone do so. I did get the evil eye from a few cops who I suspected knew I was carrying because the way my coat hung but they never did anything nor could they. When people know the laws and their rights there are fewer problems.

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