Victim of VA Clinic shooting in El Paso identified as psychologist

Update: An earlier version of this story referred to the victim as a physician. The story was updated Jan. 12 after new information was released identifying the victim as a psychologist.

A shooting at a Veterans Affairs clinic in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, left a psychologist and the gunman dead, according to report from The Washington Post.

Former soldier and VA clinic employee Jerry Serrato allegedly shot and killed VA psychologist Timothy Fjordbak, PsyD, on the fourth floor of the clinic before going to the third floor to take his own life, FBI special agent Doug Lindquist told The Washington Post.

The FBI took the lead on the investigation of the shooting and has been interviewing hundreds of potential witnesses.

During the investigation, FBI officials discovered that Dr. Fjordbak had previously filed a threat complaint against Mr. Serrato in October 2013 following an incident between the two in which Mr. Serrato approached him in a grocery store and issued a verbal threat.

So far, no other connection between the two has been found, according to the report.

Maj. Gen. Stephen Twitty, commanding general of Fort Bliss in Texas, originally reported the incident at the El Paso Veteran Affairs Clinic on Tuesday around 3:10 p.m. local time Jan 6.

The William Beaumont Army Medical Center adjacent to the VA clinic was placed on lockdown for several hours during the late afternoon on Jan 6., according to the report.

The commanding general has since declared all other VA patients and staff safe and the incident under control.

The clinic was closed Jan 7. and veterans had theirs appointments rescheduled, according to the report.

 

 

 

More articles on the VA:
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