Hospital Shooter Was Strapped to a Gurney

An active shooter strapped to a gurney in a Houston-area hospital could have killed people if she hadn't been disarmed by an EMT, police say. KHOU 11 reports that the woman, who had been taken to the HCA Conroe Hospital Emergency Room for a mental health evaluation, had her arms and legs secured on the gurney but was still able to fire two rounds from a small-caliber gun she had stashed in an elastic waistband-type holster under her dress. Police say the medical attendant disarmed the woman almost immediately and nobody was injured, reports the Houston Chronicle.

The woman, identified as 65-year-old Glendar Johnson-Jackson, had been brought to the hospital under an emergency detention order from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff's office says she was taken to the hospital after causing a disturbance at a business, ABC 13 reports. After the shooting, she received medical clearance and was taken to the Montgomery County Jail. Police say she will face charges including deadly conduct.

Conroe Police Chief Jeff Christy "commends the HCEC EMT that took quick, decisive and heroic action in disarming Jackson as she discharged the gun. His actions likely saved innocent lives," police said in a statement. They said Conroe Mayor Jody Czajkoski "wanted to recognize the Conroe Police Department’s rapid and overwhelming response to the reported active shooter situation. He is thankful that the situation was resolved without casualties." Authorites say they are looking into why the woman's gun wasn't found sooner. (More Texas stories.)