Man shoots himself in B.C. hospital

BURNABY (CP) — The union representing B.C. nurses says staff at a hospital in Grand Forks are traumatized after a man walked into an emergency room, pulled out a gun and shot himself Thursday evening.

The BC Nurses’ Union says the victim shot himself at Boundary District Hospital and was airlifted to a Vancouver-area hospital.

RCMP say the victim is in stable condition and no one else was injured.

Union president Gayle Duteil said the man didn’t say anything before he shot himself.

“Nurses, doctors and all frontline staff acted quickly in ensuring the safety of other patients and themselves, and also attended to the victim,” she told a news conference in Burnaby on Friday.

Patients were moved to a safe location while a physician and emergency room manager tended to the victim.

RCMP Cpl. Janelle Shoihet said victim services have been made available to family members of the victim, as well as hospital staff and witnesses.

“We recognize this was quite a traumatic event for those who witnessed it,” Shoihet said in a news release. “However, I can confirm there was no additional risk to the public.”

Duteil said there is not enough protection for nurses and other staff.

Although nurses are also receiving support from Interior Health’s crisis management team, she said they are left feeling distraught.

“At many of these small hospitals, there isn’t a security guard or any line of defence between the front door and the triage area,” she said in a statement. “Sometimes locking the doors after hours is the only option.”