A security guard was fatally shot and another person injured when a gunman opened fire inside a hospital in Portland, Oregon on Saturday morning. The incident took place at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Northwest Portland, prompting a lockdown and a search for the shooter.
According to Sgt. Kevin Allen of the Portland Police Bureau, the shooting was reported around 11 a.m. Pacific time. The security guard, identified as Bobby Smallwood, was immediately rushed to a trauma center but succumbed to his injuries later in the evening. The hospital confirmed the tragic news. A hospital staff member who was also wounded is in stable condition. Fortunately, no patients were harmed during the incident.
Following the shooting, law enforcement officers initiated a lockdown of the hospital and began searching the surrounding neighborhood for the suspect. The nearby Fred Meyer grocery store was also evacuated and searched, but the shooter was not found. However, the suspect was later spotted and pulled over by officers from multiple law enforcement agencies during a traffic stop in Gresham, a city located east of Portland.
The suspect was later killed by police during a traffic stop after a manhunt. The identity of the suspect has not been released, and it is unclear if he was armed or fired at the police.
The motive behind the hospital shooting remains unknown, and no details have been provided regarding the events leading up to the incident. During the search for the suspect, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the hospital, with all visitors, patients, and staff advised to stay away. However, the order has since been lifted.
Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, part of the Legacy Health system, expressed deep grief over the loss of Bobby Smallwood, the security guard who lost his life in the line of duty. The president and CEO of Legacy Health, Kathryn Correia, offered unwavering support to Smallwood’s loved ones, the hospital’s patients, and the staff.
In the aftermath of this tragic event, authorities will continue their investigation to determine the motive behind the shooting and the circumstances that led to it. The hospital and its staff are working to provide support and care to those affected by the incident.