SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A Sheriff's Deputy broke his hand and wrist following a shooting at a hospital in San Diego Saturday afternoon.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department confirms they were escorting a prisoner back to jail after a mental evaluation on the 10th floor of the Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego around 3:27 p.m.
That's when the department says the prisoner lunged for the firearm of a deputy. During the struggle, the prisoner apparently made suicidal statements. The department says that multiple uses of force were unsuccessful in getting the prisoner off of the deputy, allowing the prisoner to grab the gun and fire it.
The shooting quickly summoned a heavy police presence at the hospital, including the Sheriff's Department, the San Diego Police Department, and hospital security.
"I saw four police officers, all with their weapons drawn," said Tony Glowacki, a visitor who was on the 6th floor during the incident. "And then shortly after that, three more police officers came on board and they went up the elevator shaft."
After a continued struggle, the prisoner was tased and taken back into custody. Police then conducted a search for victims on the 9th floor, where the bullet went hurdling into. They did not find anyone other than the deputy who was injured.
"It seemed like the emergency was very immediate, like it was happening at the moment," Glowacki said.
The Sheriff's Department said in a press release the hospital has been secured and there is no active threat. The prisoner is under mental evaluation at the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital. Detention Investigations Unit Detectives will continue their investigation.
