Pa. hospital: Police say 2 dead in clinic shooting
Mar 8, 2012, 9:23 PM
Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center says police tell it a shooting at a psychiatric clinic has killed two people and left seven injured.
The gunfire at a psychiatric clinic at the University of Pittsburgh erupted Thursday afternoon.
UPMC spokesman Paul Wood says police say one of the dead was the gunman.
Neighboring buildings have been placed on lockdown, police said.
Police initially were looking for a second gunman, but the medical center says police later reported there was only one.
A SWAT team was on the scene. A street was blocked off, and the area thronged with police. Most students are on spring break, though offices and buildings have been open.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said it had received some patients from the shooting but did not say how many or what their conditions were.
Pete Finelli, who lives two blocks from the clinic and once worked there as a student nursing assistant, said security guards are always at the part of the building where it the shooting is believed to have occurred.
Patient rooms are on the upper floors, he said, but anyone on the first floor would have to be someone either being admitted or discharged.
“The only place a person would be on the first floor is the emergency room,” he said.
Pitt sent out email and text alerts shortly after 2 p.m. to warn people of the shooting.
“An active shooter has been identified at Western Psychiatric Institute. Several injured. Possible second actor in Western Psych. Lockdown recommended until further notice. If safe to do so, tell others of this message,” the alert said.
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