Newsman: Tulsa police confirmed that a shooter killed four people at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Wednesday.
During a news conference, Tulsa Police Department Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish confirmed the number of dead and said the shooter also was dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Four innocents and one shooter” are dead, Jonathan Brooks of the Tulsa police department said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Police have not yet identified the shooter and said that he died following a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shooter had a rifle and a handgun on him, Brooks said.
St. Francis Health System locked down its campus Wednesday afternoon because of the situation at the Natalie Medical Building. The Natalie building houses an outpatient surgery center and a breast health center.
Dozens of police cars were seen outside the hospital complex, and authorities shut down traffic as the investigation went on.
A reunification center for families to find their loved ones was set up at a nearby high school.
According to authorities, a gunman opened fire Wednesday afternoon at the St. Francis Health System campus, shooting multiple people using at least two firearms. One of the Tulsa victims died after leaving the scene trying to seek medical aid. It is unclear at this time how many others were wounded in the shooting, though the authority believed it to be under 10.
Dispatchers received a 911 call shortly before 5 p.m. local time about a man walking with a rifle at the Natalie Building, a physicians’ office building on the Saint Francis Hospital campus. When police responded, they said it turned into an active shooter situation, according to Tulsa Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg.
When police entered the building, they found multiple people shot in one area on the second floor, including in an orthopedic office, authorities said. The victims could be a combination both of employees and visitors, authorities initially said.
Police went through the five-story medical complex room by room to secure the building.
“We are doing a meticulous floor-by-floor, room-by-room search,” Meulenberg said. “It’s calmed down. We’re trying to connect people and we’re hoping not to find any victims.”
The shooter died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Tulsa Police Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish. Police were still working to confirm the identity of the suspected shooter, a man believed to be between the ages of 35 and 40, Dalgleish said during a briefing.
It appears both weapons were fired, according to Dalgleish. It is unclear if the suspect was targeting anyone specifically, he said.
Authorities evacuated a home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, about 50 miles southeast of Tulsa, after receiving a tip that the suspect “may have left a bomb at this residence,” Muskogee Chief of Police Johnny Teehee said Wednesday night.
Police said they are also investigating a possible bomb threat that may be connected to the suspected shooter.
A bomb squad was on scene and police were working to obtain a warrant to search the residence, he said.
Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman later said the bomb squad cleared the location of a potential threat, and that the scene had been “turned over to the necessary authorities.”
Saint Francis Health System said in a statement late Wednesday that, “out of respect for the families,” it is “not commenting on or releasing names of those lost or injured at this time.”
“Saint Francis Health System is grieving the loss of four members of our family. As a faith based organization, the only recourse we have at this moment is to pray while we navigate this tragedy,” Saint Francis Health System said. “We are sincerely thankful for the quick response by the Tulsa Police Department, first responders and EMS agencies. And, our deepest gratitude extends to the members of our own Saint Francis family who cared for their own during this incident.”
“To allow our staff and caregivers the opportunity to process today’s tragedy, all Warren Clinic appointments in Tulsa and Broken Arrow scheduled before noon tomorrow have been cancelled. Additionally, the Warren Clinic Orthopedic offices in the Natalie Building will be closed until further notice,” the statement continued. “We ask that you please pray for the employees and physicians of the Saint Francis Health System.”
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also praised the first responders who “did their best to contain a terrible situation” and offered to provide the city with any state resources needed.
“What happened today in Tulsa is a senseless act of violence and hatred,” he said on Twitter
Tulsa Mayor G. T. Bynum expressed “profound gratitude” for the “broad range of first responders who did not hesitate today to respond to this act of violence.”
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on the shooting, White House officials said.
“The White House is closely monitoring the situation and has reached out to state and local officials to offer support,” the White House said in a statement.
