WILMINGTON, Del. — A gunman who opened fire inside Wilmington Hospital Tuesday afternoon, killing one person and injuring another, had not been captured hours after the attack, according to police.
Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos addressed reporters Tuesday evening, saying the shooting was first reported around 3:30 p.m. He said he would not be disclosing the identities of the victims or the condition of the survivor, citing respect for the victims’ families.
Campos said detectives were actively working to identify the shooter and figure out how that person managed to exit the building following the attack.
ChristianaCare, the health system that runs the hospital, released a written statement saying it had redirected patients away from its emergency department and was taking every necessary measure to protect patients, staff, and visitors. The statement described the situation as “an active police investigation for a possible active shooter.”
By Tuesday night, a lockdown that had been put in place at the hospital was lifted.
At the evening news conference, Wilmington Mayor John Carney spoke about the victims and the hospital employees who sheltered in place while law enforcement swept through the building room by room. “If ever there is a place that should be a sanctuary for such violence, that is the place,” Carney said.
Incidents of violence at hospitals have been a recurring issue across the United States.
Wilmington is Delaware’s largest city, home to roughly 71,000 residents, and sits approximately 25 miles south of Philadelphia.
