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11/24/2024 11:47:34 am

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Psychiatric Patient Kills Female Caseworker in Delaware County Wellness Center Shooting

Darby

(Photo : REUTERS/Charles Mostoller ) Hospital employees look on at the scene of a shooting at the Mercy-Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby, Pennsylvania on July 24, 2014. A gunman opened fire inside a Pennsylvania psychiatric facility on Thursday, killing a woman and wounding a doctor before he was shot and critically wounded, authorities said.

Police have identified the suspect in a shooting incident inside the Sister Marie Lenahan Mercy Wellness Center at the Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby, Pennsylvania Thursday afternoon.

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A female caseworker was shot and killed, while a doctor was injured and is being treated for gunshot injuries, in the incident that occurred inside a patient's room in the psychiatric unit of the center.

Witnesses in the facility said the shooting happened around 2 p.m.

District Attorne Jack Whelan gave out the suspect's name as Richard Plotts, a psychiatric patient. The name of the dead caseworker has not been released pending notification of the family. The injured male doctor's name has not been released as investigators have yet to do an interview with him.

A worker at the center told investigators they first heard arguing and checked to see where the yelling was coming from.

In the patient's room, they saw Plotts pointing a gun at the doctor. They did not see the caseworker at that time. The worker quietly backed out and went to a phone to call 911. A short time later, they heard gunshots.

Employees of the center burst into the room and took down Plotts, who had been shot.

Whalen confirmed the female caseworker was killed and the doctor suffered a graze wound.

Both the doctor and Plotts were rushed to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, where Plotts is listed in critical condition.

No motive has been established, but preliminary investigation points to an altercation the subject of which is unknown. Apparently, Plotts first shot at the female caseworker, and then traded shots with the doctor who was able to draw his own gun.

The shooting prompted police to lockdown the facility and evacuate people through the backdoor.

District Attorney Whelan said he does not believe the facility had metal detectors to check on who could be carrying firearms.

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