Law Enforcement Says Initial Search Finds No Evidence Of Armed Man In Westchester County Hospital
BRONXVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- There was a large police presence at a hospital in suburban New York City on Sunday night.
The Westchester County Police told CBS2 officers were searching New York-Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital after reports were made at about 8:45 p.m. of a man carrying a shotgun on the sixth floor. However, after an initial search there was no evidence found of a shooter.
"At no time were any shots fired and we have not identified anybody that was within the hospital that was armed with a shotgun or any other kind of weapon," a law enforcement official said during a news conference. "We have spent the last several hours reviewing video tape from the hospital, every floor that was reported to be trespassed upon, and no video has confirmed that there was anyone within the hospital armed with a rifle, shotgun or handgun."
The official said a secondary search was underway, adding there are no victims and "at this point we do not believe there was a subject in the hospital that was armed," the official said.
Prior to receiving that clarification, it was a chaotic scene outside the Bronxville hospital. A person who answered the phone in the admissions office at about 9:30 p.m. confirmed the hospital was on lockdown. The person would not give her name. She said she hadn't heard or seen anything and was just waiting.
Video from outside the hospital shows numerous emergency vehicles with their lights flashing. The Journal News reported that heavily armed SWAT teams were patrolling the area.
WATCH: Law enforcement provides update on search at NYP/Lawrence:
The hospital initially tweeted that it was gathering information and urged people not to come to the hospital unless it was an emergency. However, that tweet has since been deleted.
Local residents described what they heard and saw to CBS2's Marc Liverman.
"I heard all the commotion, all the sirens and I came out of my apartment just to see what was going on and this is what laid out," Matthew DiCicco said.
"It's a very scary situation and it hits home for us 'cause being nurses, your first logic is to take care of people and patients and when they're in their most vulnerable time of need which is when they're sick and this hinders patient's care," Antonette Toscano added.
Please check back with CBS2 and CBSNewYork.com on Monday morning for more on this developing story.
