Suspect in custody after 1 killed in Delaware hospital shooting

By Danny E Freeman, CNN

Philadelphia (CNN) — A 23-year-old man was taken into custody in Philadelphia Tuesday, hours after a fatal shooting prompted a Wilmington, Delaware, hospital into lockdown and forced employees to barricade themselves inside rooms.

One person was killed and another injured in the shooting at Wilmington Hospital earlier in the afternoon, with authorities launching a manhunt for the suspect, who fled the hospital.

A preliminary investigation determined the shooting was a “targeted, isolated incident,” though the investigation is ongoing, officials said late Tuesday.

Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or the suspect. The condition of the person injured is unknown.

Police responded around 3:30 p.m. to reports of the shooting at the hospital, located about 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia, Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos told reporters.

The hospital was put into a lockdown, forcing employees to barricade themselves in rooms as law enforcement cleared each floor, Mayor John Carney said at a news conference. It has since been lifted and the campus has been reopened.

ChristianaCare, the hospital system which includes Wilmington Hospital, said the emergency department diverted patients while in lockdown.

“It’s particularly distressing when an incident like this occurs in a hospital whose fundamental purpose is to treat injuries and save lives,” Carney said. “If ever there’s a place that should be a sanctuary from such violence, that is the place.”

Brian Pfeffer, a patient guide at the hospital, was working in the emergency room when he heard two loud shots, “almost like firecrackers,” ring out on the ground level, he told CNN affiliate KYW.

Pfeffer fled the emergency room and ran outside before the hospital was placed on lockdown. It was an alarming experience, Pfeffer said, and even more concerning that it took place inside a hospital, where people typically feel secure.

“A lot of people come here just to be safe,” Pfeffer said. “Now you have this stuff happening, so it’s scary, very scary.”

Several agencies, including the FBI and Delaware State Police, rushed to the scene to assist. Police said earlier they were reviewing surveillance footage to determine how the suspect left the hospital after the shooting.

Campos said officers will work “tirelessly” to bring the person to justice. Wilmington Police Department said the suspect’s extradition and charges were pending.

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer said the shooting hits especially close to home for his family, as his wife works at ChristianaCare and was reporting for work that afternoon.

“Every Delawarean deserves to feel safe whether at home, at school, at work, or seeking care at a hospital. Today is a sobering reminder that no one is immune from the devastation of gun violence,” Meyer said at the news conference.

ChristianaCare said in a statement it is working closely with law enforcement and “taking all appropriate steps to ensure the safety of our patients, caregivers and visitors.”

“Our hearts are with the victims, their families, their loved ones, and everyone that is affected by today’s violence,” Jennifer Schwartz, the incoming president and CEO of ChristianaCare, told reporters. “This is a tragic and deeply painful moment for our community.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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CNN’s Elizabeth Wolfe, Celina Tebor and Julianna Bragg contributed to this report.