Delco DA Credits Armed Doc With Averting Wider Hospital Bloodbath
By David Madden
MEDIA, Pa. (CBS) -- Delaware County authorities plan to charge the 49-year-old mental patient responsible for yesterday's shootout at medical offices adjacent to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby that left a case worker dead and a doctor wounded.
Investigators say Richard Plotts shot Theresa Hunt point-blank in the head, and took shots at Dr. Lee Silverman, who pulled out his own .32-calibre semiautomatic handgun. Another doctor and a caseworker then controlled the wounded Plotts until police arrived.
Delaware County district attorney Jack Whelan says it was a good thing Silverman was armed, apparently against hospital policy, because Plotts had 39 spare bullets on him.
"We believe he was there and going to reload that revolver and continue to fire and continue to kill," Whelan said this afternoon.
Hear DA Whelan's full press conference in this CBS Philly podcast (runs 36:13)...
As for Plotts' mental state, Whelan says he believes Plotts knew what he was doing.
Regarding a possible motive, officials speculate that Plotts was not happy with the wellness center's "no weapons policy," which was clearly posted in the office.
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