A man was shot by a hospital security officer in the emergency department at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center in Houston on Sept. 5, according to several local news outlet reports.
The man, in his early 30s, arrived at the emergency room shortly after 6 p.m. and told staff he was suicidal, police said in remarks reported by KPRC, the NBC affiliate in Houston, and other local outlets. Staff treated him and placed him in a secluded area of the ER.
Shortly before 9 p.m., the man produced a knife and refused to put it down, police said. Security officers deployed Tasers and the man fell to the ground. A security sergeant tried to retrieve the knife, the man got up and reached for it again, and the sergeant then fired, striking him in the torso, according to KHOU, the CBS affiliate in Houston.
Medical personnel immediately began treating the man, police said. He was in critical condition Sept. 5, according to KHOU. Hospital staff recognized the man from previous visits, police said.
The Houston Police Department is investigating.
“The safety and privacy of our workforce, patients and visitors are our top priority,” Memorial Hermann said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “We are fully cooperating with law enforcement’s investigation and, due to patient privacy laws, cannot comment further at this time.”
Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center has a medical staff of 1,500 affiliated physicians and is part of the 14-hospital Memorial Hermann Health System.
Editor’s note: Becker’s has reached out to the Houston Police Department and will update this story if more information becomes available.
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