'Lots of screaming': Shots fired in hospital emergency department
Shots have been fired inside a Canberra hospital by a man who was under police guard.
ACT Police were called to the emergency department of Canberra Hospital at 4pm on Wednesday, according to a statement released by Australian Federal Police.
A 26-year-old man charged with serious traffic offences from an incident on Wednesday morning was under guard in the hospital when he allegedly assaulted ACT Police members.
Shots are believed to have been fired into the roof, hitting a sprinkler system, but no members of staff or the public were injured, AFP said.
The altercation came to an end when the man was Tasered and restrained by police.
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Witnesses described a frantic scene, with “lots of screaming and plenty of police,” one person said.
The man is expected in court on Thursday for serious traffic offences and attempted robbery.
It’s likely that further charges will be laid following Wednesday afternoon’s incident.
The Canberra Hospital has released a statement advising that services at the emergency department have been impacted, with parts of the emergency ward closed.
They confirmed that the situation had been contained and there was no further threat to public safety, but some patients had to be moved into a holding area.
The hospital is encouraging anyone with non-life threatening injuries or illnesses to consider alternative treatment options on Wednesday evening.
