Shooting at B'ham's St. Vincent's Hospital, gunman dead

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) - A man opened fire early Saturday at a hospital in Alabama, wounding a police officer and two employees before being shot and killed by another officer, authorities said.

Police identified the suspect as Jason Letts of Jemison, Ala. Letts was killed by officers after a shootout.

"When the officer encountered the suspect, there was immediate gunfire from the suspect," Birmingham Police Sgt. Johnny Williams said. One of the responding officers was hit in the shooting.

The second officer shot back, mortally wounding the suspect.

Two hospital employees who happened to be in the area were also wounded.

A statement from Birmingham police released Saturday afternoon said, due to the circumstances at the scene, the victims were transported to a neighboring hospital for treatment.

The statement went on to say that the three victims’ injuries are not life-threatening.

Photos: Birmingham hospital shooting

Police were sent to St. Vincent's Hospital around 4 a.m. to check on a report of an armed man inside the facility. Two officers who arrived separately converged on the suspect on the hospital's fifth floor.

Williams said detectives were still trying to determine Saturday why the armed man was in the hospital.

A handful of cardiac patients and several staff members were on the fifth floor, hospital spokeswoman Liz Moore told reporters during a news conference. She said the hospital is secure and stable, and patient care was not interrupted.

Officials at Birmingham hospitals also sent out statements assuring the public that they do "everything they can to keep patients safe."

A statement from Trinity Medical Center said they engage in training in high risk areas like the emergency department. They said they are proud of their long-standing relationship with the Birmingham Police as, who they said respond quickly to calls.

District 7 Congresswoman Terri Sewell also applauded the Birmingham Police in their response and "their corageous efforts to take down the suspect and prevent a catastrophic event."

"Too many of these tragic events are happening across the country and I look forward to doing all that I can to prevent them from happening again," Sewell said.

WIAT has a crew at the scene and will provide updates as more information becomes available.

Information from WIAT CBS42 in Birmingham:  http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Suspect-killed-in-shooting-at-St-Vincents-Hospital/8pYa9a7o-EKtx0drjCn6Tg.cspx