Lockdown lifted at Coast hospital after report of shots fired in parking lot
Ochsner Medical Center in Bay St. Louis was on lockdown Wednesday morning after police received reports of shots fired in the hospital parking lot, Sheriff Ricky Adam said.
Reports of the shots first came in at about 8:30 a.m. By 10:45 a.m., the lockdown had been lifted.
“Our emergency response team immediately responded and contacted local law enforcement for further investigation,” Ochsner Medical Center-Hancock said in a statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, the hospital and surrounding clinics operated under a brief lockdown.”
Hancock County sheriff’s deputies responded to the hospital to help Bay St. Louis police and hospital security.
Deputies in vests entered the hospital and checked every room for a suspect, Adam said.
“The Hancock Sheriff’s Office and Bay St. Louis Police Department quickly cleared the building as a non-threat,” the medical center said in the statement. “During this time, no patients, visitors or employees were in immediate danger, and there was no to minimal interruption of patient care. As always, patient safety is our top priority.”
Law enforcement was also stationed outside the hospital near every entrance.
Adam said deputies did not find any suspects inside the hospital and the lock down was an additional safety measure put in place to protect staff and patients.
This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 10:12 AM.
