Two people dead in apparent murder-suicide at Newport News hospital
A husband and a wife in their late 70s are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News police said.
Officers received a call about 8:20 a.m. Sunday for a shooting inside the Newport News hospital, police said in a release. They found a man and woman in a hospital room on the fourth floor, both of whom had been shot, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew told WTKR in an interview. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said in a release the “incident appears to be a murder-suicide,” and they are not looking for suspects.
“This is a situation where there was two individuals that are both in their late 70s. One individual was the patient, and the other was the loved one, like the wife,” Drew told WTKR.
Police are investigating how the woman was able to bring a gun into the hospital.
“I am aware of the tragic incident that took place this morning at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News. My condolences go to the families of the victims,” Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones said in an emailed statement.
The hospital was put on a brief lockdown. Nobody else was injured.
“On behalf of the City of Newport News, I send my strong appreciation to all those who acted swiftly, including the Riverside team and members of the Newport News Police Department. They continue to work together to provide comfort to patients and families and ensure the safety of the facility,” Jones said.
WTKR contributed to this report.
