Doctor Shot at Johns Hopkins Hospital

On September 16, a doctor was shot by a gunman at 11:15 local time at the Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Johns Hopkins Hospital is one of the leading hospitals in the nation and has patients from all over the country, and all over the world. After shooting the doctor, the gunman took refuge in a room in the hospital where he took his own life and that of another, possibly a relative, after a two hour stand-off with police.

The doctor who was shot in the abdomen is expected to survive his injuries. Ironically, he is a place where he can receive the best care possible, reports the Associated Press. It is still a matter for investigation what connection the gunman, described as a man in his thirties, and the staff doctor could have had. However, the AP reports a hospital coffee shop employee says she was told by other employees that the gunman was angry at the doctor over the treatment of his mother.

The New York Times reports that Audrey Huang, a spokeswoman for the hospital, confirmed that the shooting occurred in a patient area in the thoracic center of the Nelson building, and that all the main Johns Hopkins hospital buildings had been locked down in response. According to the Hopkins website, the eighth floor of the Nelson Building is home to orthopedic, spine, trauma and thoracic services. During the stand-off with the gunman, the hospital restricted access to the building and blocked off the streets in the surrounding area.

Even before the stand-off ended with the death of the gunman, the Baltimore police assured the public that there was no danger to them or to hospital patients.

Like the gunman who took hostages at the Discovery Channel offices in Silver Spring Maryland on September 1, this attack is another case of workplace violence. However, since the perpetrators in both crimes were not actual employees, it would have been difficult if not impossible for employers in these stations to act in a way that could prevent such an attack. Unlike incidents like where employees return to the work place to commit violence, an outside attack is more difficult to foresee.

At the time of writing, there is no report on the exact identity of the Johns Hopkins Hospital shooter.

Related Resources:

• Violence in the Workplace: Why Employers are caught In the Middle (FindLaw Library)
• Discovery Channel Attacker James Lee Killed (FindLaw's Blotter)
• Employers: 6 Ways to Protect Against Workplace Violence (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)