(Anadolu photo)
WASHINGTON – Four people were killed in the midwestern city of Tulsa, Oklahoma during a mass shooting at a local hospital, law enforcement announced Wednesday.
Police said they received a call about an active shooter at the Natalie Building at St. Francis Hospital campus at 4:52 p.m. local time (2152 GMT), and officers arrived on the scene roughly four minutes later before making contact with the gunman.
"The officers that did arrive were hearing shots in the building, and that’s what directed them to the second floor," Deputy Police Chief Eric Dalgleish told reporters. "Right now, we have four civilians that are dead. We have one shooter that is dead."
A long rifle and a handgun were recovered at the scene, and police believe both were used during the shooting spree.
Police believe the gunman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. They have not identified the deceased suspect but said he is a Black male roughly 35-40 years old. They have not provided a motive for the crime.
US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, and the White House is "closely monitoring the situation and has reached out to state and local officials to offer support," spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The shooting happened as the city marked the 101st anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, which targeted Black residents and decimated a once vibrant African-American neighborhood. (Anadolu)
