A man is in custody after he allegedly attacked and killed another patient at Merit Health Central in Jackson, Miss. The incident occurred March 5 and is under investigation, police told local news outlets.
Police said they responded to the hospital around 10 p.m. March 5 after receiving a call about an assault, according to CBS affiliate WJTV and the Clarion Ledger. Hospital officials told police a male patient who was experiencing a "psychiatric episode" attacked a female patient on the sixth floor of the facility where they were both receiving treatment. The suspect and the victim did not know one another, according to officials.
Police said the suspect was arrested and will be charged with murder. The victim was transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where she was pronounced dead.
"The safety of our patients and staff is our first and most vital concern," a Merit Health spokesperson said in a statment to Becker's. "Our team cares deeply about our patients and they are trained to take timely, appropriate action in the event of an emergency."
"The Jackson Police Department responded to an event at our hospital on March 5 and we are grateful for the quick actions of our staff and the JPD officers on site," the spokesperson added. "We express our sympathies to the patients and families who are affected. Patient privacy remains our priority and we are unable to provide further information about the incident."