Cops: Heavily armed man arrested after struggle at VA clinic
SUMMERFIELD, Fla. – A man is in custody after his rifle went off during a struggle inside an exam room Tuesday at a Florida Veterans Affairs clinic, reports CBS affiliate WKMG.
Stephen Cometa, 60, allegedly walked into an exam room at the Marion County clinic where a doctor was examining a patient and started banging on the door. When the doctor opened the door, Cometa pointed the gun at him and said “Now you’re going to have to listen to me,” according to a criminal complaint.
As the doctor and another staff member who was in the room struggled to get the firearm from Cometa, the gun went off, officials said.
No one was injured and nearby VA officers were reportedly able to activate the safety on the weapon and subdue Cometa, but another shot was fired during the struggle.
According to the criminal complaint Cometa had an AM-15 rifle that is “capable of accepting large-capacity magazines,” each magazine allegedly contained 26 rounds of ammo and “the magazines were taped together to facilitate faster reloading of the rifle.”
The complaint also alleges that Cometa dropped a backpack in the exam room containing a loaded 9 mm handgun, additional rifle magazines and a video camera.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad searched the clinic and determined that there is no ongoing threat to clinic staff, patients or the public. The clinic will reopen Wednesday morning.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Todd Donahoe said the clinic will examine its security protocols to see if improvements can be made. He the clinic has never had a problem in its 10 years of operation.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is working with the FBI Jacksonville Division to investigate the shooting.
WKMG reports that Cometa is federally charged with forcible assault of a federal employee and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. A clinic spokesman said investigators are looking into why Cometa may have targeted the doctor.