An elderly woman shot and killed her terminally ill husband in his Florida hospital room Saturday, police say.
Police responded to Advent Health Hospital around 11:35 a.m. after receiving a call that a shot had been fired at the facility. “Upon arrival, our officers were directed to the 11th floor, where they encountered an elderly female who had apparently shot her terminally ill husband,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said at a news conference per WESH news.
After the shooting, the 76-year old woman reportedly confined herself to her husband’s hospital room at Advent Health Hospital and refused to come out, according to CNN.
Police: One person shot at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, shooter contained https://t.co/FOM66Zyakd
— WESH 2 News (@WESH) January 21, 2023
Cardiologist Dr. Joshua Horenstein was working a shift in the emergency department during the shooting.
“Someone came in screaming in the emergency department that this was not a drill and to shelter in place,” Horenstein told CNN.
“Officers have evacuated staff and patients around the room, and at this time the female is not seen as a threat to staff or patients. No one else has been injured,” the Daytona Beach Police Department stated in a release at the time of the shooting. “We are currently negotiating with the female to get her to surrender and come out of the hospital.”
Hostage negotiators were able to open dialogue with the woman and convince her to leave the room without further incident around 3 p.m., Young revealed in the press conference.
“Apparently because he was terminally ill, they had a conversation about it and they actually planned this approximately three weeks ago that if he continued to take a turn for the worst that he wanted her to end this,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said at a news conference per WESH news. “Obviously, we’re unsure how she brought that gun into the hospital, but this was planned.” (RELATED: Owner Of Legendary Studio 54 Club Mark Fleischman Dies By Assisted Suicide At 82)
“I’m actually very proud of all the first responders that responded to this very tragic and unfortunate incident because this was truly an example of how we should work together as far as overall incident command. It was a very trying day for us but I’m proud of everybody,” Young stated.