Hospitals Grapple with Security Measures after New York Shooting

Hospitals Grapple with Security Measures after New York Shooting

A man defied security measures to kill his bedridden wife and himself, rattling hospital staff.

  • By Jordan Lutke
  • Aug 31, 2018

A woman and her husband died from an apparent murder-suicide at the Westchester Medical Center on Aug. 8. Authorities say the shooter wanted to end his wife’s suffering.

The suspect was at the hospital visiting his wife. He brought a licensed .38-caliber revolver with him into the room, shooting her and then himself after leaving a note indicating his intentions. Police responded to the active-shooter call at 9:39 A.M. Within 90 minutes, the lockdown on the building was lifted, and operations had fully resumed by the afternoon.

Westchester Medical Center has security measures including armed guards, but has no metal detectors, which authorities believe is how the suspect was able to smuggle the revolver inside. Most hospital security is focused around the entrance and emergency rooms, not long-term care.

Hospitals across the Northeast have been struggling to beef up security following a recent trend of shootings, especially a June 2017 shooting where an ex-employee in a Bronx area hospital killed a doctor and wounded six others.

Popular methods of increasing security include metal detectors, required guest passes with an identification process, and even armed guards. Some hospitals have even begun hiring police officers to provide extra security.

Hospitals provide security coordinators with many complex problems. There are normally large populations of elderly or immobile patients, which can persuade staff to stay with them and fail to evacuate during active-shooter scenarios. Hospitals also tend to have many entrances, with people coming and going regularly.

Westchester Medical Center officials say they will be reviewing security practices in the wake of this incident.

About the Author

Jordan Lutke is an intern with 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.