A Texas hospital was placed on lockdown and evacuated on Tuesday afternoon after cops received calls of an active shooter — who was reportedly barricaded inside.
Authorities responded to reports of a gunman on the second floor of the Ben Taub Hospital in Houston at around 2 p.m. after receiving reports of shots fired, according to the Houston Chronicle.
While the gunman — described by witnesses as a bald white man, unknown age — had been reportedly cornered in a room on the third floor, police officials later said they had not found any evidence of a shooting or even a shooter after conducting a full sweep of the facility.
“We have no victims or any evidence of an actual shooting at this point,” Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said during a press conference.
“We have not found anyone injured or have found a suspect,” he added.
SWAT teams were reportedly inside the hospital, searching floor by floor, as the calls started to pour in of a possible gunman.
“There is an active shooter situation,” a police source told the Chronicle.”He’s barricaded on the third floor. They’ve got him isolated and barricaded and they don’t expect it
A hospital worker, named Dan, told local CBS affiliate KHOU that staff been receiving text messages, saying there was a gunman reported on the second floor of the facility, before they were all evacuated.
“We heard over the overhead that their was a Code White, for an active shooter then we got text messages saying there was an active shooter,” he said. “We heard he was on the second floor. It was definitely scary. I called all my parents.”
Hospital staff had been reportedly taking cover under their desks after receiving word of the possible active shooter.
“Some actually sheltered in place,” Acevedo said, adding that multiple witnesses had reported seeing a bald, white man carrying a gun.
“All patients and employees are safe at this point,” he added.