Houston police: Off-duty cop shoots "combative" patient at hospital
HOUSTON -- A "combative" hospital patient in Houston has been shot during a fight with two off-duty police officers who were hurt while struggling to subdue him, police said.
An official with St. Joseph Medical Center says the 26-year-old male patient was in critical condition after being shot late Thursday morning.
Annette Garber says the "very aggressive" patient refused to obey staffers, who then summoned help to the medical floor.
"He deployed the Taser, but it apparently had no effect on the patient," said Kese Smith, a Houston Police Department spokesman. "He continued to struggle and injured the officers. That's when his partner discharged his duty weapon, striking the suspect."
Both officers, working security at the hospital, tried to subdue the patient before one opened fire. It is unclear why the patient was originally hospitalized.
Garber says the officers were being treated for injuries that don't appear life-threatening. She did not elaborate.
CBS affiliate KHOU reports the patient is in the intensive care unit, according to Smith. Both of the officers were treated in the hospital's emergency room. One of them suffered a concussion and both of them had lacerations in their faces, Smith said.
Names of the patient and the officers weren't immediately released, but KHOU reports they are long-time PD veterans and well-known to the hospital staff.
Further details weren't immediately available.
KHOU reports that St. Joseph is located on St Joseph Parkway, on the southside of downtown.