Man in "suicidal state" fatally shot by Philadelphia police outside St. Christopher's Hospital, police say
A man who was suicidal was shot and killed by a Philadelphia police officer outside St. Christopher's Hospital for Children Thursday, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said.
The man's girlfriend was also injured in the incident after she appeared to be grazed by a bullet fired by the officer, Bethel said.
Bethel, who also spoke on Thursday morning, said in an evening update that St. Christopher's Hospital was never under threat during the incident. In June, a man shot two employees at Wilmington Hospital, including one fatally, which prompted healthcare workers inside to shelter in place and a massive response from law enforcement.
"It appears at this point that all the threats were about himself and him being in a suicidal state," Bethel said.
Bethel said Thursday night that police have learned that there was an incident at St. Christopher's on Wednesday with the man, and he was asked to leave. The man left and returned Thursday morning.
Bethel said that when the man returned to the hospital Thursday, the security staff told him he wasn't allowed in the building. According to Bethel, the man was compliant and didn't threaten any of the security staff at St. Christopher's.
While the man was at St. Christopher's, Bethel said police received a call from a relative who said he was suicidal and a threat to himself. The family member said that he might have access to weapons and a permit to carry.
Bethel said the call was dispatched to officers as the "male was a threat to himself and had threatened staff" around 10:30 a.m.
But through their investigation, Bethel said that he didn't threaten staff.
Bethel said that officers responded quickly from a nearby police station. When they arrived at St. Christopher's, Bethel said the man started to pull out a weapon once the police stepped out of their vehicle, which led to an officer discharging his weapon, fatally striking the man outside of the hospital on the South side of Erie Avenue near the bus stop. The man was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Bethel said the man's son is currently in the hospital, and they're investigating whether that led to him becoming irate. The police commissioner vowed to fully investigate how the shooting unfolded.
"It's an unfortunate circumstance," Bethel said. "It's very difficult when you see these instances play out, and we'll go through and investigate. We'll go through how the call came in, how things went through, if there was anything we could've done better. I don't know that at this point. But we have a duty as an organization to make sure we get these things right."
Bethel said the man who was killed didn't fire his weapon during the incident. The man's girlfriend, who was grazed by a bullet, is in OK condition, according to Bethel.
The officer who fired their weapon was put on administrative leave as part of department policy.
Bethel said police have notified the man's family, but they haven't released his identity as of Thursday night.
A spokesperson for St. Christopher's Hospital said the hospital was placed on lockdown during the incident, but that has since been lifted.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988. CBS News Philadelphia also has a list of mental health resources.
For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
