“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]