A security guard and psychiatric patient at Community Hospital in Munster, Ind., were killed Tuesday after another security guard fired at the patient who had the guard in a chokehold, according to local news website WDRB.com.
Munster police were dispatched to the hospital about 1:15 a.m. Tuesday due to a physical disturbance between a patient and an employee. Two security officers had already responded to the scene. Police were told prior to arrival that shots had been fired.
Upon arrival to the patient room, police found that the patient and security officer both sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter identified the patient as 22-year-old Jamal Williams. The officer killed was 59-year-old Ryan Askew.
Mr. Williams reportedly was beating a nurse when the two security officers tried to pull the patient away from the nurse, Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez told the Northwest Indiana Times. The guards were overpowered, and Mr. Williams put Mr. Askew in a chokehold.
While Mr. Askew was in a chokehold, the other security guard, Benny Freeman, fired two shots at Mr. Williams. One struck his face, the other shot hit Mr. Askew in the arm, the prosecutor said. The bullet reportedly traveled into Mr. Askew's chest, killing him.