A man fired a flare gun outside a California hospital demanding help, otherwise he was ready to ‘hurt somebody,’ before he was subdued by a nurse, police said.
Thomas Christopher Ray, 51, of Chino, was taken into custody after he showed up with the flare gun, as well as a replica firearm, outside the emergency room at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley on Wednesday.
He showed up outside the ER about 11:40 a.m., demanding help from a security guard, the Fountain Valley Police Department said.
‘I need some help. If I don’t get some help, I’m going to hurt somebody,’ he is said to have announced before firing off the flare gun twice, says Lt. Jarrod Frahm, speaking on behalf of the police.
Thomas Christopher Ray, 51, of Chino, was taken into custody after he was said to have fired a flare gun twice outside the emergency room at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley on Wednesday, police said
A man fired a flare gun outside MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center (pictured) in Fountain Valley, California, on Wednesday
The unnamed man showed up outside the ER about 11:40 a.m., demanding help, the Fountain Valley Police Department said. Cops are seen arriving on a report of an active shooter
‘I need some help. If I don’t get some help, I’m going to hurt somebody,’ the man is said to have announced before firing off the flare gun twice, says Lt. Jarrod Frahm, speaking on behalf of the police. Cops are pictured at the hospital after the man was already subdued by security
The guard raced into the emergency room to contact police. A witness said guards were running toward the building while shouting ‘get to safety,’ and ‘man with a weapon,’ the Orange County Register reports.
A nurse was able to subdue Ray by the time officers arrived on the scene, says Frahm,
‘He didn’t actually make it inside the ER,’ Frahm told the Los Angeles Times.
‘There was some kind of nexus between him and maybe a patient there.’
Ray was discovered to have been living in an RV that was parked nearby, the Times reports.
Video shot by journalist Chris Ercoli shows Ray appearing confused while sitting in the backseat of a patrol car some time after he was apprehended.
Video shot by journalist Chris Ercoli shows Ray appearing confused while sitting in the backseat of a patrol car some time after he was apprehended
Exclusive Video: Fountain Valley PD received a report a suspect was firing off rounds at @OrangeCoastMC. Hospital staff took the suspect into custody without incident . PD says he had a flare gun, replica hand gun & walked to ER saying he would shoot and fired one flare. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/P07yoMu3Sl
— Chris Ercoli (@CErcoliCBS2KCAL) April 8, 2020
Cops say they were called to the scene on reports of an active shooter in the hospital parking lot.
Cops say they were called to the scene on the report of an active shooter in the hospital parking lot (pictured)
When Jacqueline Alvarez learned of a possible active shooting, the 34-year-old office assistant said she ran into her building and locked the doors as she watched cops arrive, reports the Times.
She said she recalls ‘the fear of not knowing where this person was and adrenaline racing — just to get myself to safety and lock our facility door.’
‘My sister-in-law works at the hospital and was closed off in a room with co-workers after the active shooter was reported,’ wrote Deborah Sullivan-Brennan wrote in an email to the Times.
‘My brother called police and learned they were already there. About 10 minutes ago he called us and said police caught’ the suspect.
Orange Coast Medical Center said the incident ‘remained outside the hospital and our patients and staff are safe.’
‘The safety of our patients, families and staff is of the utmost importance,’ the hospital added in a statement.
‘We notified the police of suspicious activity outside of the hospital today. Police responded and resolved the matter.’