A manhunt is underway after a gunman opened fire at a hospital in Louisiana. At least one person was injured in the shooting.
The incident took place at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport – St. Mary Medical Center. Law enforcement says there is no active hostage situation. However, Shreveport police say SWAT and hostage negotiations made their way to the scene, KSAT reports.
Just after 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the gunman entered the hospital, KTAL reports. The authorities identified the gunman as 41-year-old Taniel Cole.
Cole reportedly shot someone he knew in the leg. Medical professionals expect the victim to survive and say the wound was not life-threatening.
Upon arrival, the police considered a possible hostage situation was taking place. By 7 a.m., nearly two dozen squad cars showed up at the scene.
Shreveport Police Speak Out After Gunman Opens Fire at Hospital
While the search continues, Shreveport Police Department Sgt. Angie Wilhite spoke out about the investigation. “We expect this to be an hours-long thing, searching this building, it is a very, very large building and we are doing a very slow and methodical search,” the Sgt. said.
Wilhite continues by saying: “We’ve had people from the fire department show up to assist us, so we have just about every agency in Northwest Louisiana on the scene assisting us with the search, but we’re still dealing with a monster of a building and who we believe to be a very dangerous person that could be inside.”
The hospital laid out its plans to handle the situation. Firstly, the hospital will divert all incoming patients to Oschner LSU Health on Kings Highway. Secondly, inpatients will remain sheltered in place. Thirdly, the hospital is canceling all outpatient procedures.
As a precaution, Loyola College Prep canceled classes for the day. The University is located about a block from the hospital. In addition to Loyola College Prep, John Berchmans Catholic School has closed. The school took to Facebook to share the emergency alert.
The authorities continue to treat the scene as an active shooter situation.
[H/T WFLA]
