Shooting inside ER of Evanston Hospital outside Chicago leaves security guard wounded

A security guard was shot and wounded Thursday night during a struggle in the emergency room of a hospital in the city of Evanston, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, officials said.  

The shooting occurred in the ER of Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital, located at 2650 Ridge Ave. 

At 7:26 p.m. Central time, the Crisis Alternative Response Evanston, or C.A.R.E. team — which provides non-police response to certain low-risk service calls — approached a man near the downtown Evanston Taco Bell at 1737 Sherman Ave., according to Evanston police Cmdr. Scott Sophier.

The man seemed to be suffering a mental health affliction. He agreed to be checked out by Evanston Fire Department paramedics and taken to Evanston Hospital for treatment, Sophier said.

Evanston police were not involved in this initial chain of events, Sophier said.

The Evanston Fire Department arrived at the scene with the man at 7:45 p.m. While inside a room during the intake process at the ER, the man became agitated toward hospital personnel, Sophier said.

Hospital security entered the room to assist other staff, Sophier said.

At 7:57 p.m., the man lunged toward his own belongings inside the room, Sophier said. A security officer saw a weapon, and a struggle ensued, Sophier said.

An unknown number of shots were fired inside the ER. One Evanston Hospital officer was struck and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Sophier said.

Another hospital employee assisted security in placing the patient in handcuffs until Evanston police arrived, Sophier said.

 A handgun was recovered at the scene, and the 28-year-old man was taken into police custody.

Spencer Walrath, a spokesperson for the hospital, told CBS News, “The safety of our patients and team members is our top priority.”

“There is no active threat,” Walrath said. “The safety of our patients and team members is our top priority.”

“We are very grateful for the fast-acting response of Evanston Hospital personnel,” Sophier said.

Nurses were seen swiftly leaving the hospital around 8 p.m. A visitor to the hospital was alarmed.

“Yeah, I’m scared because I came to see my baby, and then I was thinking this is happening at a hospital,” said David Kostal, “so it’s a bit surprising.”

The emergency room was put on lockdown following the shooting, and remained on lockdown as of 10 p.m. Central time.