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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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The council argues that the HERC must be closed to comply with the city’s zero waste policy, which was passed back in 2017.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a plan to shut down the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) on Thursday.
The resolution comes after decades of protests against the massive North Loop trash incinerator that burns roughly 365,000 tons of garbage a year.
“Today is a big step towards protecting the health of our communities and addressing longstanding environmental injustices that disproportionately impact communities of color,” said councilmember Robin Wonsley, in a statement.
The resolution calls for the incinerator to be permanently closed by Dec 31, 2027 and for the entire facility to be shut down by Dec 31, 2033.
The council argues that the HERC must be closed to comply with the city’s zero waste policy, which was passed back in 2017.
In October 2023, the Hennepin County Board signed off on a plan to close the HERC between 2028 and 2040, depending on how quickly the county can transition into a zero-waste system.
Of the garbage burned at the HERC, 75% comes from the city of Minneapolis. The other 25% comes from a dozen other cities in the area. The HERC produces enough energy to power more than 25,000 homes and half the buildings in downtown Minneapolis.
At a City Council Meeting on Oct. 10, Jenni Lansing with the City of Minneapolis Health Department provided analysis on the air pollution impacts of HERC. She said the health department supports working towards a zero-waste future and the ultimate closure of HERC, but said closing it now is not the solution.
“Overall emissions in Hennepin County are dominated by on-road and non-road, mobile and nonpoint sources, and these sources drive the cancer and non-cancer risks to health in Minneapolis,” Lansing said.
Hennepin County defines zero waste as preventing 90% or more of all discarded materials from being landfilled or incinerated.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
The snow is really coming down in some places with Maple Lake getting 3.5″ so far.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — The wettest Halloween storm ever — is making mischief before little trick-or-treaters hit their neighborhood’s slushy streets.
Officials are reporting several power outages and car spin-outs.
There have been over 14,000 power outages, according to Xcel Energy.
The Minnesota State Patrol has responded to 169 crashes and 94 vehicles off the road, as of 2. pm. Thursday.
Meteorologist Beny Dery said an additional 1 to 2″ of snow is possible before things taper off this evening.
So far some of the totals around town are: 3.5″ Maple Lake, 3.0″ Buffalo, 2.5″ Dassel, 2.4″ Windom, 2.0″ St. Bonifacious, 1.5″ Maple Plain and 1.5″ in Bethel.
The snow is expected to let up from west to east and should wrap up for the metro between 5 to 6 p.m.
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.”
