VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Beach Police Department said a suspect is in custody at the Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital after an incident.
Sentara Healthcare initially sent an alert warning of an active shooter on the fourth floor of the hospital, saying a caller heard gunshots in a stairwell.
Police say the incident is not an active shooter incident.
Sentara Healthcare released the following statement regarding the incident:
There is no active shooter at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and there is no threat to any staff, patients or community. The Virginia Beach Police Department is handling the incident and all future updates will come from them.
News 3 reporter Leondra Head spoke to a woman who was inside the hospital at the time of the incident. She tells us she heard there was an inmate who was trying to escape police.
"I didn’t hear the gunshot, but I heard everyone screaming," said the woman, who wanted to remain anonymous. "I heard there was an inmate that was being transported by an officer and that he was trying to get away, and then he was tussling for the gun then the gun went off. That’s what I was told.I think that is very scary to come to the ER and be checked out then you have an inmate tussling with an officer."
Another woman who was in the emergency room at the time of the incident says she’s thankful that she’s OK.
"Oh my God. I was scared. I sure was - indeed. All I was doing was praying. 'Good God almighty. Lord have mercy. Jesus' - that’s what I was saying to myself," Margarette Manuel says.
Manuel says she did not hear any gunshots but says she saw commotion inside the hospital.
"It happened so quick. I was going inside from parking my daughter’s car. By the time I got in there, they were like, 'You all leave. We got an active shooter,'" Manuel said.
When asked if a shooting took place inside the hospital, police told us they were unable to comment right now.
There is currently no further information.
Officers are currently on scene and have suspect in custody at Virginia Beach General. This is not an active shooter incident. More information to follow with further investigation.
— Virginia Beach PD (@VBPD) October 22, 2021
