Long Beach hospital shooting leaves three dead [UPDATED]

Updated, 6:45 p.m.: A third person in today’s shooting has died, police said.

The two victims were identified as Kelly Hales, 56, of Redondo Beach and Hugo Bustamante, 46, of Cypress, said Lisa Massacani, spokeswoman for the Long Beach Police Department. The gunman, who took his life, was identified as Mario Ramirez, 50, of Alhambra, she said.

The shots were fired just before noon in a lobby at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Long Beach police closed off the large hospital complex on Atlantic Avenue.

A source said the gunman shot a pharmacy manager several times in the head and then ran through the hospital wielding at least two guns, searching for a second man. The gunman eventually caught up with that man and shot him multiple times, the source said. The source said the gunman then told onlookers to go away, and fatally shot himself.

Justin Hawkins, 18, said he had been in the main lobby. “I thought I heard a shot, a shot like a loud bang," Hawkins said.  "I heard people screaming and yelling. Then a nurse came in and told everyone to hurry up and leave as soon as possible. At first, no one believed her and they remained sitting down where they were.” He said doctors herded him and others into some backrooms after making sure the coast was clear. “People were frantic. Really scared.”

The incident occurred about 11:40 a.m. in the lobby of the hospital in the 2800 block of Atlantic Avenue, said Sgt. Dina Zipalski of the Long Beach Police Department.

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Updated at 1:49 p.m.: Charity Perez, 31, said her husband, who works at the hospital as a valet, knew the gunman, who also worked at the hospital.  “He was a great and wonderful guy,” she said. ”He was a nice guy and was always willing to help you.”

She said the gunman, whom she refused to identify, was married and had children. “He heard that there were going to be layoffs in June,” Perez said of the gunman, but said she did not know whether that was the motive for the shootings.

 

Perez said her husband told her that the gunman shot two people, including his supervisor twice in the face, and eventually shot himself. She said the shootings took place in the rear of the hospital’s pharmacy. The gunman was scheduled to work a noon shift, she said.

Perez said she was dropping her kids off about 12:30 p.m. at the hospital to be with their dad when she noticed all the police cars in the parking lot.  

-- Andrew Blankstein, Louis Sahagun, Raja Abdulrahim and James Wagner

Photo: Police guard an entry to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center after the shootings. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[DAME-O]

WHEN WILL THIS STUFF END? STORIES LIKE THIS ARE ALL TO COMMON THESE DAYS. IT'S VERY SAD.....

[CLOSE HOSPITALS TO PUBLIC]

When will hospitals realize that their businesses are actually places of business; not public accommodations. All hospitals should be closed to the public with strict entry rules for vistors.

How many members of the public can walk into IBM, or Google, and just mill around with family and hoards of truant kids? NONE. It's a business, not park.

HOSPITALS WAKE UP; LEGISLATORS WAKE UP.......

Good grief.

[August]

It is so HORRIFYING to be homeless in Los Angeles that people just knowing that will happen to them are snapping.

[bob from norwar]

I blame the gun lobbyist. Their pro-american marketing approach is a joke. Hunting rifles are accepted in society, ak-47's shouldnt be. PERIOD!!!! Enough already.

[l]

Remenber it was an employee that did the shooting... It was not just someone that can just walk in.

[Bob from Norwalk]

I blame the anti-gun lobbyists. If only more decent citizens had access to a legitimate means of self defense, they might be able to prevent these types of situations. Unfortunately, police officers just can't be in all places at all times. PERIOD!!!! Enough already.

[Joseph Green]

"Hunting rifles are accepted in society, ak-47's shouldnt be. " How is this relevant? A handgun was used.

BTW, a similar handgun in the hands of a citizen or hospital official could have ended the assault and protected the victims. Hmmm....Guns: Are they evil tools of death, or can they be the most effective and immediate deterrent of any violent crime. Guess it depends on whether you're being attacked or defended by them, huh?

[Gary Beals]

If you've ever been in a NYC Hospital like St Vincents, the closest you can get to any personnel is via a phone in the lobby. They have learned the hard way, which always seems to be the norm.

[Educating the ignorant]

I work at Long Beach Memorial. We DO have security. When I walk in to work every morning I am stopped by a security guard at the front desk and asked to show my badge, even when I am wearing scrubs with the hospital logo. Hoards of truant kids? Where do you get your info? We don't have people just milling around. People are there to visit their family members in the hospital and it is highly regulated both in the lobby and up on the units. It is not a jail on lockdown, sick people need their support system and family around them. Members of the public able to just walk in? Duh! It is a hospital. People are ALOUD to just walk in for treatment. Plus this is all a moot point anyway because the gunman was an employee. He was not only supposed to be their he was expected to be there and even paid to be there. This could've happened at a grocery store or even IBM. Don't speak ignorantly about things you know nothing about!

[ibis]

Setting aside the fantasy of Hollywood, and reviewing objective data :by law ,the police are not obliged to protect individual citizens.
Los Angeles and California in general have some of the most restrictive gun laws.
Hospitals are usually "gun free" zones.
neither of these ill conceived and misinformed policies could have or in fact did prevent this crime.
in many of these crimes, the perpetrator ends up dead.
either by suicide or suicide by cop. they are distraught and deranged.
inflammatory rhetoric, grandstanding, poor journalism.generalizations divisiveness do little to prevent future tragedies.
Since this shooter was a colleague, he probably was not perceived as a threat.
Condolences for the familie's loss.

[whutdacrap]

"I blame the gun lobbyists." Really? I blame the guy who shot everybody, it was his decision alone, no one elses. Also, there's nothing more pro-American than excersising your constitutional rights. One of the most anti-American things you can do is forfeit those rights (that people died to ensure that you have), to make yourself feel safer. Think of it this way, I'm pro-choice when it comes to excercising my 2nd Amendment rights. If you don't choose to do so, that's your choice. Don't force your opinions on everyone else, that includes your opinions regarding which guns are more dangerous than others!

[Security Officer]

I work as an (unarmed) security officer in a Los Angeles hospital. I am also state-licensed for exposed firearms certified as expert with a military background. It became clear long ago that hospitals are more concerned with the "threat" of a security officer in possession of a firearm than with external or internal threats such as this workplace violence incident. These incidents are over in seconds or minutes. The wake-up call "alarm" has been ringing for some time now. Hospitals take note: The national recommendation is that all ER officers be armed. Remember that the most violent of our society are the intoxicated by alcohol or drugs and the mentally unstable such as this employee--all prominent residents of most ERs. The focus on prolonging life that is the mission of all hospitals is obviously paramount. Please, utilize your "peripheral" focus and provide all employees with a safer workplace by upgrading your security staff with the capability of meeting the threat of today. It need not be restated that the threat is much more than a "security officer with a gun". Although the "first-punch" outcome can not be prevented, an armed and well-trained security officer would have had the opportunity to respond with a "second/third punch" and this story would have had a much different ending. This is not simply opinion--I thought that this lesson had been taught and learned by a church shooting that occurred some time ago. A deranged church-goer "threw the first punch" but was stopped cold by an armed security officer. There remains no excuse to continue with the failed policy of unarmed security unable to counter today's threat. Shame shame for such reckless policy. It is not mere hyperbole to state that "fire must be stopped by fire". Weapons in the hands of well trained police and security are there for self-defense of themselves and staff---only then can "gunfire be fought with gunfire."

[Alan]

I work security at a Boston hospital and when I see things like this. It worries me because I can’t help but wonder how vulnerable hospitals (security, staff and patients) are to violence such as this. We (security) are unarmed. How would we defend ourselves against a person(s) armed with any type of weapon? We (security) receive no such training (defensive) from our company in case (God forbid) this should happen here.

[p thomas]

I was shocked and saddened by the events yesterday and I still feel sick to my stomach when I think of such a violent act. Ifeel for the shooters wife and children and I am so sorry to here that two other employees lives were taken and their familes must be greiving. There are three people who will never go home to be with their familes.

I have woked at hospitals for many years and the work envorinmentis fast paced,hectic and high pressured. One deals with the patient, their family, then work with nurses, doctors and other staff. Typically an employees has a lot or responsibities and limited time in which to complete them. There are also numerous policies to protect the patients, the babies from being taken, scrub policies with enen more state, government poicies and Joint commission(a private group that critiques the job of the empoyees and patient safety). It does stop there, most employees also offer assistant to patients and other staff. They help without a thanks or a hello or even a grunt. They help because they want to and don't help for a pat on the back.

Instead looking to hardening the physical barrier of the hospital from those who want to carry arms. I am sure some changes will come soon.
I wonder if we should look at supporting each other not just at work but our neighbors too. I understand that some individuals are beyond help. But, what if we think of our otions? Maybe we you "pay it forward" during tough economic times and good times so our friends or love ones will reach out versus acting out when life gets tough.
I may sound altruistic, but let's reach out to those in need and support those around us and prevent tragic stories.

[A long time friend of the Bustamante family!]

My family has known the Bustamante's for over 20 years. Hugo is not only the nicest, but most generous person you'll ever meet. We'll miss him dearly, but know he's in a wonderful place. Please keep Hugo, his family & all others effected by this horrible tragedy in your prayers.

[gymlock]

So, Bob.. you really think that by outlawing ak-47s that will remove them from society? Do you want to talk with Osama and work it all out, too?