Security guard fatally shoots man with knife at hospital in Newburgh
NEWBURGH, New York (WABC) -- Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man in the emergency room of a hospital in Orange County late Thursday night.
The fatal shooting happened around 11 p.m. on Thursday at the Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh.
Officials say a disorderly individual in the hospital's emergency room lobby pulled a fire alarm, prompting firefighters from the City of Newburgh Fire Department to respond to the scene prior to police arriving.
Hospital security staff confronted the individual, who then brandished a knife and attacked a security guard, police say. An armed security guard then shot the man. The suspect, 45-year-old Carlos Ortiz of Newburgh, was later pronounced dead.
Authorities say a woman who was nearby the altercation was also injured during the incident. Her son spoke with Eyewitness News on Friday.
Chareen Liyanagunawardhana says that on Thursday night, his mother, 47-year-old Chamika Hataurusinghe was with her husband who was being treated for a hand injury at the hospital. Surveillance video shows the fire department responding to the emergency room where a fire alarm was pulled. Because she wasn't the patient, Hataurusinghe was moved to a waiting room near the entrance.
"When she was there, there was a person with a knife. That's the person who pulled the fire alarm," Liyanagunawardhana said.
He says security shot the suspect with the knife, and the bullet went through him and hit his mom in the leg.
Doctors spent hours on Friday removing a bullet lodged in Hataurusinghe's left thigh. The surgery took place in the very hospital where she was shot.
"Before the surgery, we prayed for a little bit. Hope the surgery goes well and she gets better," said the victim's son, Chareen Liyanagunawardhana.
Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital released a statement following the deadly incident:
"Following an overnight incident, a police investigation took place at Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall. Our foremost responsibility is, and will always be, to provide a safe, secure, and healing environment for our patients, staff, and community. We remain steadfast in this commitment. We are grateful to our Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall Public Safety and Security Team, as well as the City of Newburgh Police Department, for their ongoing dedication to safety and their swift, professional response in protecting our staff and our community. Our hospital is open and fully operational. Any further questions should be directed to the City of Newburgh Police Department."
There are currently no charges, as the City of Newburgh Detective Division and the Non-Fatal Shooting Task Force continue their investigation.
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