RICHMOND, VA (WRIC) – The Richmond Police Department is investigating after a patient and a police officer were shot at the Chippenham Hospital’s mental health facility.
At 4:11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, officers were called to the Tucker’s Pavilion at Chippenham Hospital for a reported shooting.
Officers who were nearby — in the emergency area of the hospital — arrived at the scene and found a man with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. The victim was later identified as a patient at the hospital.
They also found the suspect — a 27-year-old man from Glen Allen — who surrendered and was taken into custody without incident.
The suspect had reportedly attempted to check himself into the hospital for a mental health evaluation.
“He was entering a room where he was disrobing and getting into a gown and then, without warning, started firing his weapon,” said Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards.
According to police, a firearm was recovered from the scene but the suspect had discarded the weapon before officers arrived.
Edwards said there was also an officer with the Chesterfield County Police Department who was on duty for a temporary detention order (TDO) at the pavilion when he heard the gunfire and intervened. According to authorities, the Chesterfield officer fired his gun but did not hit the suspect.
During the shooting, the Chesterfield officer’s boot was struck — police believe it was either by a bullet or a ricochet — but he was not injured.
“It’s unclear how that played out,” Edwards said. “When our officers went inside, they didn’t initially see the Chesterfield police officer. They saw the suspect sitting in a chair. Other patients pointed him out as the shooter and he was taken into custody without any force used by Richmond Police.”
A lockdown was in place immediately following the shooting but around 6:45 a.m., police said the lockdown had been lifted.
Police Chief Edwards spoke to reporters at the scene shortly after 7 a.m. His full statement can be seen below:
This is a developing story, check back with 8News for updates.