An armed suspect entered the lobby of a psychiatric hospital in New Hampshire, United States, and opened fire on Friday, killing one person. According to Reuters report, a police officer who was on security duty at the facility shot and killed the suspect and no one, including the police officer, was hit or injured in the incident. The incident occurred at around 3:30 pm at the New Hampshire State Hospital in Concord, the state capital.
“A state trooper assigned to the hospital immediately attacked the suspect, shooting and killing him,” State Police Col. Mark Hall said at a news conference. He said the attack was limited to the hospital lobby.
However, Hall declined to provide any information about the shooter or the slain victim, saying that investigators were still trying to identify the attacker. “There is no risk to the public and there is no risk to patients or staff at the hospital,” he said. Meanwhile, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver said all patients and staff at the hospital are safe.
Hall further said that bomb squad officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle on the hospital premises, but did not provide further details. According to Reuters, Hall informed the media that additional officers were on the scene within minutes, as a police academy graduation ceremony was taking place at a nearby precinct at the time.
New Hampshire Hospital is a 185-bed inpatient facility that treats patients with serious mental illness. All visitors must enter through metal detectors, and a police officer will always be on duty. It is located on the grounds of a 120-acre office complex that is home to several state agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the Public Utilities Commission.
America is witnessing a worrying increase in shooting incidents, especially in the past year.
