A visitor was fatally shot Oct. 22 at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Mo., and a patient has been charged with second-degree murder, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said.
The patient, James Lawson, also faces charges of armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to an Oct. 23 news release from the prosecutor’s office. Police suspect Mr. Lawson shot a woman who had been visiting him, CBS affiliate KCTV reported. Bond was set at $250,000 cash.
“We are deeply saddened by a tragic incident that resulted in the death of a hospital visitor,” Centerpoint said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “Law enforcement responded promptly and has charged an individual who had been [taken] into custody. We are cooperating fully with authorities as they investigate.”
Centerpoint Medical Center is part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.
