injured 3 employees by patient after weapons call at Halifax hospital

CITYnews halifax / By Chris Halef and Natasha O’Neill

Three employees at QEII Health Sciences Centre were injured by a patient, Michelle Thompson, minister of health and wellness confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday.

Halifax Regional Police are investigating a “serious” weapons complaint. Officers responded to the emergency department at roughly 1:00 p.m.

“I want to commend the staff for their quick response today, in an incredibly difficult situation,” Thompson said.

Police have one person in custody and there is currently no threat to public safety, a post by the force reads.

Nova Scotia Health said the QEII Halifax emergency department is only accepting life-threatening emergencies following the incident. The health agency said it will provide an update when it reopens, adding for non-urgent care, people should contact their family doctor or primary care provider.

The minister stayed tight-lipped throughout the press conference, not providing many details on the incident saying it “is an ongoing investigation.”

However, she did confirm the three people injured in the situation were employees at the hospital. It happened in the emergency department. She emphasized how difficult it must have been for staff members to care for their own colleagues.

“Three valuable staff at the hospital were injured today by a patient in the emergency room, so we will wait to better understand who was involved,” Thompson said.

A spokesperson for Halifax Regional Police told 95.7 NewsRadio that more information on the incident would be provided on Thursday.