Investigators believe a report Wednesday evening of an armed man at a Loma Linda children’s hospital emergency department that prompted evacuations and a response of at least 100 officers from across the region was a hoax.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies were clearing the hospital after reports of a man with a gun in the emergency department. By around 8 p.m., authorities had learned there were no injuries and that no gunshots had been heard.
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Officials believe the report was a “swatting” call, a term used to describe a knowingly false report of an emergency that prompts a major law enforcement response.
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Law enforcement officers found no suspect at the hospital, said Mara Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Reports had described the suspect as a man wearing a black shirt and pants and holding a black duffle bag, according to broadcast reports.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said officials are working to identify the suspect but that it can take time in swatting call cases as suspects take steps to mask their IP address and other forms of locating them. Officials believe they have some evidence available on the suspect, but didn’t disclose further information Wednesday night.
“The one thing I want this suspect to know: ‘this is the wrong county to do those things in,’” Dicus said. “As you can see by the response of our allies tonight, we don’t play. But if there is evidence and we can find you, you better watch your door, because we’ll be kicking it.”
Because of the suspected fake call, Dicus said patients in the 364-bed hospital for a time didn’t receive medical attention, and officers were tied up and taken away from other calls.
The Sheriff’s Department received a call around 6 p.m. about a man who said he was armed with an AR-15 rifle and a bomb at the hospital, was experiencing a mental health crisis and heard voices in his head that told him to shoot patients at the children’s hospital, Dicus said.
Deputies stationed at the hospital were immediately on scene, and law enforcement from partnering agencies across the region responded in minutes, Dicus said. Between 100 and 200 law enforcement officers from multiple agencies, along with police helicopters, were on scene as officials cautioned the public to avoid the area.
By around 8 p.m., the Sheriff’s Department said on social media: “Law enforcement is actively clearing Loma Linda Hospital. At this time, no shots have been heard, and no one has been injured.”
Molly Smith, a hospital spokesperson, said: “Law enforcement responded to the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital this evening after an initial report of a situation in the emergency department. After a thorough investigation, it was confirmed there is no active threat on campus and normal business operations have resumed.”
The Loma Linda campus is south of San Bernardino on Anderson Street, near Barton Road, south of the 10 Freeway and east of the 215 Freeway.
The medical center is part of Loma Linda University Health, an academic medical center.
