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Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas on lockdown, authorities say
FORT SMITH, Ark. — According to Fort Smith police, the intruder who caused an hours-long lockdown at Mercy Hospital on Monday, July 22, is now in custody.
The man, identified as 34-year-old John West, was found hiding “in a small box” in the corner of an educational room in the hospital at around 1:30 p.m., according to the release.
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Officials said West had a water pistol that had been painted black to look like a real gun. When West was found, the release said he pointed the gun at a security guard. They also found that he had a physician’s tablet and laptop, police said.
West is facing the following charges:
- Aggravated assault
- Felony theft
- Impairing the operation of vital public facility
West is being held at the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center without bond.
Timeline of events
The Fort Smith Police Department (FSPD) sent out an alert to the public at 10:36 a.m., stating that the armed suspect was inside the hospital.
Mercy posted on its Facebook page that an armed intruder went into the hospital at 10:56 a.m. and ran from security. The hospital said FSPD responded within minutes.
FSPD confirmed that officers from Arkansas State Police (ASP) and deputies with the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) worked with them to secure the scene.
At 11:24 a.m., the hospital said that officers continued to sweep the building. The post also said that Mercy Public Safety worked with authorities to help identify the suspect and protect employees and patients.
Authorities are sweeping the building but did not encounter a suspect, according to FSPD. No injuries were reported at this time.
Sebastian County Emergency Manager Travis Cooper advised the public not to go to the hospital but, if they were already there, to stay in their vehicles.
An employee from a nearby business reported that they were also on lockdown.
Mercy said the hospital’s West and East towers were cleared at 2713 S. 74th Street.
According to Mercy, Mercy Tower West (6801 Rogers Ave.) and Mercy Tower East (74th St.) returned to patient care. However, those buildings aren’t part of the main hospital where the suspect was seen.
Lockdown continued on Mercy’s main campus.
Fort Smith police shared a message on Facebook clarifying that no shots had been fired and no injuries had been reported.
“There was a man reported as armed with a gun who ran from security. Law enforcement is searching for the man at this time,” the message reads.
Mercy announced that authorities were still investigating but didn’t have “reason to believe” that the suspect was at the hospital and all areas were reopened. Mercy said it was “safe to resume patient care.”
Fort Smith authorities report that the suspect had been found.
No further information has been released at this time.
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Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
