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Two Dead in Tennessee Hospital Shooting

20 April 2010 04:12 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. A gunman fatally shot a woman and injured two others before killing himself outside a hospital in Knoxville, Tenn., the police said, APA reports quoting â€œThe New York Timesâ€.
The attack happened at about 4:30 p.m. near the patient discharge area of the Parkwest Medical Center, the police said. One woman died at the scene and the other two were taken to The University of Tennessee Medical Centerâ€™s trauma unit for treatment. At least one of the surviving victims was taken in critical condition and was scheduled to undergo surgery, police officials said.
Investigators on Monday night were still trying to determine a motive and considered it a random act of violence.
â€œIt does not appear that he had any history with the victims or the medical center,â€ said Darrell DeBusk, the spokesman for the Knoxville City Police Department. The police and Parkwest officials said that all three victims were current or former employees of the hospital.
Mr. DeBusk said the women were shot outside the doors of the patient discharge area. Right after that, the man turned the pistol on himself, he said. It was unclear how many shots were fired. Officials did not immediately release the names of the suspect and the victims pending notification of next of kin.
After the shooting, members of a SWAT team searched the hospital to ensure there was not another attacker inside, the police said.
â€œWe had to make sure he was acting alone,â€ Mr. DeBusk said. After the security sweep, the hospital was reopened, except in the immediate area where the shooting happened. Mr. DeBusk said it appeared that the gunman carried only one pistol but declined to describe its make and caliber.
On Monday night, investigators were conducting interviews with possible witnesses to help determine if the suspect had entered the hospital at any time before the shooting.