Portland, Ore.-based Legacy Health is increasing security at its hospitals after the fatal shooting July 22 at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, also in Portland.
Police shot PoniaX Kane Calles, 33, after he allegedly shot a security guard at the hospital, identified as Bobby Smallwood, 44, who died after being transferred to another facility. A second hospital employee was injured, treated at Good Samaritan and released to go home July 22. Officers located Mr. Calles in a vehicle in Gresham, Ore. Mr. Calles is dead after an officer-involved shooting, police said. No officers were injured.
Legacy Health will install metal detectors with bag search at every system hospital, according to a message from Kathryn Correia, president and CEO, posted online July 29.
"All patients and visitors will enter our hospitals through controlled access points with metal detection and bag search," wrote Ms. Correia. "Certain hospitals will see metal detectors installed [on July 31]. Other hospitals will see metal detectors soon."
She said Legacy Health will also install bullet-slow film on hospital main entrances and emergency departments and on glass in internal entrances. Security officers who have completed training and certification will be equipped with Tasers.
Additionally, "we have begun to develop a second phase of actions, and that work will continue over the next several months," wrote Ms. Correia. "This includes assessing the safety needs at our medical office buildings and our community-based clinics and reviewing locations that may need additional safety measures, including badge access controls, panic alarms and security cameras."