Juan Lopez has been identified as the suspected gunman who opened fire inside Chicago’s Mercy Hospital on Monday afternoon, killing his former fiance and two others, including a police officer.
The shooting took place on Monday afternoon, with Lopez reportedly opening fire outside the hospital, targeting a woman identified as his ex-fiance. The suspect then moved into the hospital where he shot police officer Samuel Jiminez, killing him. As the Chicago Tribune reported, Lopez continued firing at people inside the hospital and killed at least one other person before the gunman was killed.
As ABC 7 Chicago reported, the shooting started close to 3 p.m. and the incident unfolded for the next 30 minutes, with shots being fired both in and outside of the hospital.
As the report noted, the shooting appeared to be domestic in nature as Juan Lopez targeted his ex-fiance, then continued into the hospital.
“Sources told the ABC7 I-Team one of the women, who was shot in the parking lot, was a doctor at Mercy Hospital reporting to work, and was shot by her former fiance,” the report noted.
“The sources said she was the first to be shot, and that the gunman then moved into the hospital and continued shooting.”
The woman targeted in the shooting was identified as Tamara E. O’Neal, a doctor of emergency medicine at the hospital.
Alleged gunman Juan Lopez reportedly tried to enter the hospital’s pharmacy during the shooting, but the employees inside were able to close the shutters and lock the doors, hiding inside. As ABC 7 Chicago reported, they had learned that from the hospital’s active shooter training.
A police officer, a doctor and a pharmaceutical assistant are dead after the shooting at Chicago’s Mercy Hospital today.
Witnesses said the suspect had been in a relationship with one of the victims. https://t.co/Acdy61m5ss
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) November 20, 2018
Witness Steven White told CNN that he was in the emergency room when Juan Lopez opened fire and said he saw the man exchanging gunfire with police.
“We heard some shots so we all ran to the emergency window, we see this guy out there, military style, shooting at the police — pow, pow, pow,” White said.
The shooting at Chicago’s Mercy Hospital led to a number of local officials speaking out, including Illinois Senator Dick Durbin.
“My heart is with Mercy Hospital in Chicago tonight. I am praying for the victims, their families, and those who were injured during the shooting this afternoon. And I am extremely grateful to the Chicago Police Department who responded with bravery,” he said, in a statement posted on Twitter.
Juan Lopez was reportedly killed by police officers who responded to the shooting.
