Officer wounded, suspect dead after hospital shooting

Police say a gunman opened fire at a hospital’s psychiatric services emergency room Wednesday in Cincinnati, wounding an officer before, they believe, he shot himself to death.

Police Chief Eliot Isaac said an unarmed security officer was wounded and was undergoing surgery for a “very serious” wound. He said the gunman hadn’t been identified and the motive was unknown.

“We’re not certain if he is known to any of the employees or any of the medical staff,” Isaac said.

Police responded to a report of an active shooter in the area of University of Cincinnati Medical Center complex just before 2 p.m. Wednesday. Isaac said several shots were fired at the entrance to the psychiatric services emergency room. People must pass through a metal detector to get inside the emergency room in that wing of the medical complex.

Isaac said police believe multiple shots were fired and that the gunman fired at a responding Cincinnati police officer, but there were no other injuries. He said the sequence of events was unclear but he didn’t believe any officers fired their weapons.

Homicide detectives were at the scene late Wednesday afternoon and the police chief said it is “very early” in the investigation to offer more details.

Police closed off a section of Burnet Avenue in an area with several other hospitals and medical buildings north of downtown Cincinnati.