Man dead after shooting inside Virginia hospital; suspect in custody
One person was fatally shot inside a hospital at Virginia Commonwealth University early Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The man was found dead inside a stairwell at VCU Medical Center North Hospital after an apparent altercation with another man, the suspected shooter, who was then located and taken into custody by police, CBS affiliate WTVR reported. Neither the suspect nor the victim have been identified.
A preliminary investigation indicated that an altercation broke out between the two men inside a stairwell, culminating in one of them shooting the other, authorities told WTVR. No one else was involved in the shooting, and no additional injuries were reported, according to the station.
VCU Police said they initially received a call after midnight reporting shots fired and an active threat at the hospital in Richmond. Several hours later, following the suspect's arrest, officials confirmed that the situation no longer posed threats to the medical center or surrounding community.
VCU Police are coordinating with the Richmond Police Department to investigate the incident.
"We're in the process of locating and identifying people who may have witnessed this and providing counseling resources, but obviously it's a very, very traumatic event," said VCU Chief of Police John Venuti, speaking to WTVR on Wednesday morning. Venuti said the police department will work with hospital staff and "explain to them what happened, explain the level of police response and move forward from there."
Rick Edwards, acting chief of the Richmond Police Department, told WTVR that charges for the suspect will be determined by law enforcement and the district attorney's office.
"Even though we don't have all the answers, it's important not only for staff and patients here, but the greater community to understand that the situation is no longer an active threat to the community," Edwards said. "There is a suspect in custody, and we will be determining in consultation with the Commonwealth attorney what charges are appropriate at this time."
