Dr. Henry Bello, 45, is identified as the shooter at Lebanon Hospital in the Bronx in New York. Witnesses saw the suspect dressed in a doctor’s coat, while he fired upon other doctors with an M-16 rifle. Three doctors have been shot in the melee.
Update (7/1/2017, 2:02 P.M. EST): One female doctor has been killed in the shooting, while six others are injured. The suspect was allegedly looking for an ex-colleague at the hospital, but couldn’t find that person. The alleged shooter was described as a “disgruntled” employee who worked at Lebanon Hospital from August 2014 to February 2015.
Fox 5 New York originally confirmed the name of the shooting suspect.
Police responded to a call about a gunman (in a doctor’s coat) shooting down multiple doctors with a rifle. The New York Post reports that the 35-year-old suspect was “known” by members of the hospital staff.
When and Where Did the Shooting Transpire?
This mass shooting occurred at around 3 p.m. on the east coast at 173rd Street and Grand Concourse in the Mt. Eden section of the Bronx hospital.
How Many People Were Shot?
According to reports, six people have been injured in the shooting, including three doctors (who were shot). The suspect wore all black underneath his doctor’s coat. The shooter “is a 35-year-old ex-employee using an M-16 type rifle,” reported The New York Daily News.
The shooting spanned multiple floors of Lebanon Hospital. The suspect is believed to be a family physician who worked at the hospital.
Hospital Staff (Doctors & Nurses) Feared For Their Lives
According to CBS, reports from the scene of the crime paint a picture of a hospital under siege. Doctors and nurses reportedly barricaded themselves in rooms as gun shots rang out through the hospital.
According to CNN, the suspect committed suicide. An ID badge was found on the alleged shooter, which identified him as employee Henry Bello. “The body of a woman who was shot was found near the body of the shooting suspect,” CNN reported.
A police spokesman confirmed on Twitter that “One shooter is deceased at the hospital.”
Police Followed A Trail of Blood
According to The New York Daily News, police followed a trail of blood to locate the body of the shooter.
NYPD tweeted, “Due to reports of a shooting incident at Bronx Lebanon Hospital, avoid the area of 1650 Grand Concourse.”
Dr. Henry Bello’s Criminal History
Henry Bello was busted back in August 28, 2004, for sex abuse and unlawful imprisonment in Manhattan. A 23-year-old woman alleged that Bello groped her crotch, held her arms, lifted her up and carried her off, saying, “You’re coming with me.” The outcome of this case remains unclear.
Bello was arrested again in Manhattan, on October 9, 2009. The reason for the arrest is not publicly known. Records for that case have been sealed.
