Patient arrested after firing gun at Georgia hospital staff, police say

Alia Paavola -

Police arrested a patient who fired a gun at staff members of Emory Decatur (Ga.) Hospital, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

DeKalb County Police Department officers were called to the hospital about 7 a.m. July 28 after a staff member noticed the adult male patient was locked inside a hospital room with a gun, DeKalb police spokesperson Michaela Vincent said. When medical staff and hospital security entered the room, officials said the patient fired the gun at them.

No injuries were reported, but the shooting led to the evacuation of the hospital's emergency room and a brief lockdown of the hospital. 

Police officers and hospital security were able to take the patient into custody on charges of aggravated assault and pointing a pistol, according to the report. His name was not released.

"Emory Healthcare's first priority is to the safety of its patients, physicians and employees, and we wish to thank all responders for their assistance," a spokesperson from Emory Healthcare told the Journal-Constitution.

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