On Friday afternoon, an unidentified lone gunman entered Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, located at 1650 Grand Concourse, and fired a an assault rifle on the hospital’s 16th and 17th floors, killing one doctor and severely injuring six more.
After a 911 call placed from inside the hospital at 2:55 PM, responding control units from the 44 and 66 precincts as well as members of the Strategic Response Group quickly arrived to the scene.
At the press conference conducted later that afternoon, Mayor de Blasio confirmed that the shooter was a former hospital employee. “Thank God this was not an act of terrorism. This was an isolated incident, it seems to be a workplace related matter,” de Blasio said.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill later said that the suspect committed suicide with the assault rifle he used during the shooting after attempting to light himself on fire. “On the 17th floor, officers encountered the male suspect lying on the floor dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.” The rifle was lying beside him, and he was wearing a medical white coat.
“There was a fire that complicated matters, and our fire fighters did an exceptional job at addressing that situation immediately,” de Blasio said.
O’Neill said that NYPD unit from the Strategic Response Group, Critical Response Command, Emergency Service Unit and other commands began the active shooter protocol, “including a search for the suspect, evacuation and activation of the rescue task force.” This task force is composed of the NYPD and NYFD personnel.
The mayor and the police commissioner acknowledged that they are still putting together many details, but that an accounting of details is to come.