ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WAVY) — Pasquotank County deputies shot and killed an armed man at Sentara Albemarle Hospital early Tuesday morning, the sheriff’s office said.
According to officials, a man armed with a handgun arrived at the hospital’s emergency department as a patient at 1:13 a.m. Deputies and officers were able to arrive to the scene within minutes of the original call.
The Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office said that the suspect, later identified as 51-year-old Michael Shane Clarke, entered the ER and pointed the handgun at multiple ER personnel. A security guard with Sentara attempted to subdue the suspect prior to law enforcement’s arrival when the suspect hit the security guard with the handgun. The security guard received treatment at the ER.
Sentara Albemarle Medical Center President Teresa Watson said during a media briefing that the security guard was not armed, despite North Carolina legislation mandating that each hospital needs at least one law enforcement officer present in the emergency department. The security guard was, however, able to successfully lead the suspect away from nurses.
Watson stated that a weapons detection system is expected to be implemented within two weeks, which had been planned prior to the incident.
Moments later, officials with the Elizabeth City Police Department and Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the hospital. They made their way into the emergency room at 1:18 a.m. and found the armed man in the ER triage room.
According to Watson, a nurse who was in the room with the suspect attempted to descalate the situation.
Wooten said the suspect pointed his gun at law enforcement, “who exchanged gunfire with the suspect.” Three deputies fired at the suspect, who was shot and received immediate care by ER staff, including the nurse who was in the room, according to the sheriff’s office, but he was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.
Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten said during a media briefing that deputies shot the suspect within 15 to 20 seconds of arrival to the scene. It is currently unclear if the suspect fired any shots.
Watson said that, while the nurse was given the option to go home after the incident, she decided to stay to finish her shift.
Elizabeth City Interim Police Chief James Avens Jr. stated in a message to the community that the teamwork between law enforcement officers is a community effort.
“My message to the community is that we as law enforcement continue to work together, but we cannot work together just between us,” Avens said. “It takes you as a community to help make sure we provide the safety.”
No members of law enforcement were injured. The three deputies — Cpl. David Shelton (five years of service), Dep. Samuel Wentz (four years of service) and Dep. Ryan Kowalski (four years of service) — are currently on paid administrative leave.
The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is conducting an investigation of this incident.
