A suspected gunman opened fire in the lobby of a New Hampshire psychiatric hospital, killing a security guard, before an officer returned fire and killed the attacker, police said.
The officials said that the suspect “was immediately confronted and shot dead” by an officer assigned to the hospital. The police officer was not injured.
Police did not identify the attacker or motive.
Officials initially reported “multiple casualties”, before lowering the number.
The victim was identified as Bradley Haas, 63, a security officer who was working the front entrance.
The law enforcement veteran was given CPR, but he later died at Concord Hospital.
Speaking to reporters on Friday evening, police spokesman Colonel Mark Hall said that the suspect entered the hospital lobby and shot an unnamed person.
A state trooper quickly engaged the suspect and killed him. Colonel Hall said the situation was “contained in the front hall.”
He declined to identify the deceased victim and said officers were working to “identify the shooter.”
Officials said that a suspicious box truck was searched near the scene of the accident and was found to not pose any danger.
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver, who also spoke at the conference, said all patients and staff at the hospital are safe and operations at the facility are continuing as usual.
On its website, the hospital, which has about 185 beds, describes itself as the state’s “premier acute psychiatric hospital.”
