A doctor was shot in the neck Wednesday night by a patient in the emergency room of the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center.
The shooter was a double amputee in a wheelchair.
The doctor was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach for surgery, and was said to be in stable condition.
The 60-year-old wheelchair patient got to the VA at about 8:30 a.m. and had been combative all day, according to the VA. While staff members were checking his emotional state, he had a gun hidden on him.
At about 6:20 p.m., a tech was in the restroom with the patient and saw him loading the weapon. When the tech went to seek help, the shooter came out firing, a source said.
Another staff member was grazed by a bullet.
The shooter’s injuries were not combat-related. He was taken into custody and no one else was harmed. Authorities say he may have been a homeless veteran who served in the U.S. Army for a short time.
The hospital was under lockdown for two hours, an employee said.
The FBI is leading the investigation.
The director of the medical center, Donna Katen-Bahensky, issued this statement:
“An incident has occurred this evening at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. There is no danger to patients or staff at this time and the area has been secured. We are working with local law enforcement and the investigation remains ongoing.”