The victim was shot in the arm when the gunman opened fire, as others in the waiting room ducked for cover. NBC New York’s Checkey Beckford reports.
The search is on for a gunman who shot another man in the arm in the waiting room of a New York City hospital Tuesday.
The shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Jacobi Medical Center in the Morris Park section of the Bronx.
Dramatic surveillance video obtained by NBC New York showed a man in a black hoodie standing at a desk. Soon after, he can be seen pulling out a gun and charging at another man in a red jacket, firing several times — even as other people were seated nearby.
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The victim was struck once in the arm, police sources said, and the suspect fled as people inside the waiting room took cover. A trail of blood was left in the waiting room, as the victim sought help and was taken to an operating room. The victim is expected to recover.
The hospital was locked down as a precaution, though the shooting was believed to be an isolated incident.
Sources also said it appeared the victim and suspect knew each other, and police believe that to be the case.
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In a statement, NYC Health + Hospitals said: “Earlier this afternoon an individual walked into the NYC Health + Hospital/Jacobi emergency department and shot another individual who was in the waiting room. This was a cowardly act in a space where New Yorkers come for healing and care. Our health care heroes swiftly took care of the shooting victim and took actions to protect the other patients in the waiting room. Our immediate focus is on caring for the patient and ensuring the safety of our staff. We are working closely with the NYPD as they conduct their investigation.”
No hospital employees were hurt during the incident. Police are still searching for the gunman.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams later tweeted that he would be visiting with the victim in the hospital, calling the shooting a "reprehensible act."
The shooting at Jacobi came four and a half years after a fatal shooting at another medical facility in the borough, Bronx Lebanon Hospital. Authorities said Dr. Henry Bello shot one person fatally and wounded six others on June 30, 2017 before taking his own life.
