WESTERVILLE, Ohio — For the patients inside Mount Carmel St. Ann’s in Westerville, Monday was a terrifying time... not knowing exactly what was happening, or if they would make it out safely.
A man was killed after an exchange of gunfire with police and hospital security.
The shooting happened inside the emergency room at the hospital around 2:15 p.m., according to Westerville police.
Officers said the suspect, 27-year-old Miles Jackson, was at the hospital being treated for a medical issue and had warrants out for domestic violence weapons charges.
“Out of nowhere you hear this loud clap. Then you hear a male yell 'he's got a gun,' then you hear two more loud claps. Then you hear all the rest of them,” said a witness.
She shot video from inside St. Ann's hospital during the incident and has asked 10TV not to identify her out of fear for her safety.
She says she and her daughter were in the emergency room when they heard shouting, then gunfire. She and her daughter hid behind a medical cart to try to protect themselves.
She explains they were too close to get out, but heard officers giving commands.
“They tried so hard to de-escalate the situation. They tried so hard to get him to follow directives. They tried so hard to have things end differently,” she explained.
She set up her camera so she could see what was happening, without being seen, then decided to record.
“I just had this feeling if something went very bad and we didn't make it, or I didn't make it, I wanted video of who did what to tell the story for the officers,” she said.
She says she was relieved when they realized they were safe, but says her heart breaks for the officers, and medical staff involved, and the man who was killed.
“The looks on their faces and the tears in the eyes, and the adrenaline that you could see coursing through them and the nurses and the PA's and doctors. No one wanted this situation to end this way,” she said.
Thankful for making it out alive to talk about what happened, the two decided to make baskets for the officers and hospital staff to let them know how much they are appreciated.
“Had they not done what they did, we were right there. There's a chance we wouldn't be here today, and because they did what they did. I'm so sorry for his family. I still have a daughter. I still get to watch her go to her first prom next week,” she said, voice quivering.
The woman and her daughter were also at Polaris Mall on March 3rd when there was a shooting there. They ran after people screamed someone had a gun and started shooting. She says it has been an emotional few weeks.