Hospital violence reportedly rising

The attempted suicide at Wright-Patterson Medical Center, in which a man fired a gun in the hospital's emergency room, shows that hospitals are just as susceptible to acts of violence as other institutions. "Hospitals at one time were much like churches and schools, and were considered somewhat sacred," said Bryan Warren, president-elect of the International Association of Healthcare Safety and Security. "Unfortunately, that's not the case anymore. In this post-Columbine and post-Virginia Tech world, things can happen anywhere." The man, described as appearing intoxicated or distraught, entered the emergency room with a 9 mm handgun at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The lone shot he fired seemed to be aimed at his own body, but he was not struck, and no one was injured, according to the base's public affairs office. He surrendered to base security forces.