A 43-year-old physician was found dead at Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee early Tuesday morning after he reportedly threatened to kill himself and did not respond to negotiation attempts with police, according to multiple local news reports.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office is conducting an investigation into the death of the physician, identified as Wayne Hendrix, MD. Dr. Hendrix was completing his residency in anesthesiology with the Medical College of Wisconsin. He earned his medical degree at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City.
Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies responded to a call made shortly after 10:30 p.m. Monday by an employee at Froedtert, who claimed another employee at the medical complex had pointed a weapon at him and was threatening to shoot himself, according to Fox6.
The Sheriff's Office SWAT team, deputies and hospital security evacuated the area and searched for the employee. They found the man had barricaded himself in a room, and officials report he did not respond to negotiation attempts. Dr. Hendrix was later found dead. Officials have not released the cause of death; an autopsy is scheduled.
Froedtert Hospital shared the following statement with Becker's:
"In the early hours of Dec. 26, an individual took his life on the campus of Froedtert Hospital. The incident was immediately contained by the Froedtert Hospital security team and the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department. They were able to effectively protect our staff and secure the site. Out of respect for the family of the individual, we ask for your support to allow them to grieve privately. No further statement will be issued."