earlier indicated. this call came in at 2:21 and within minutes we were able to respond and secure the scene here at fitzgerald mercy hospital. the incident occurred at the mercy wellness center directly behind me on the third floor in the psychiatric unit. a patient came in and unfortunately he was armed. he came into the unit and went back into the what we believe was the doctor's office with his case worker, at that point in time, there was a gun fire exchanged. the doctor is hit and he is hit in the head but fortunately for the doctor we believe it was a graze wound and he is being treated and released. but unfortunately for the case worker she was killed in this incident and there were various employees that assisted him and he was wrestled to the ground and they removed the weapon.

he was struck three times and has been transported. to the university of pennsylvania hospital, listed in critical condition and is being right now evaluated as to his didn't. we have a police officer there, we have a police officer with the doctor that was injured. so at this point we are still not releasing the names pending the notification of next of kin, it's certainly a serious situation and the hospital is open but the hop is on divert right now. and they are diverting patients to other area hospitals, and we expect the hospital to be out of divert in the next few hours, the building behind me is temporarily closed. the medical office buildsing as well as the treatment center for psychiatrics. >> how was the suspect shot? >> we are still reviewing that. we believe at this point, preliminary information that needs to be confirmed. there was a shooting between the

doctor and the individual patient, so we are verifying that information and it's still under investigation. however, that is some additional information you didn't have an hour ago, we'll confirm that after we complete the interests views. >> so the doctor pulled his own gun? >> there was two guns retrieved. one with the perpetrator and one we believe the doctor possessed. we believe the doctor certainly from all of our accounts would be acting in self-defense and we are looking at that information as we speak. we have investigators behind me processing the crime scene and numerous investigators, interviewing all the witnesses at the scene. >> we are talking about a case worker shot and killed and the doctor was grazed and the suspect was shot and is in critical and those are the only ones injured today? >> that is correct. >> what do you know about the

mental state of the suspect? >> all can i tell you is that he was a patient and i couldn't release additional information about his psychiatric history. >> i couldn't confirm or deny that, he is a patient here. >> did he arrive here alone, he was with a case worker whether that case worker transported him is still under review. >> we believe that is the case. >> is it typical for patients to be patted down for weapons here? >> we do not believe that to be typical. there is no weapon detectors available here, and that is consistent with other units, do you evaluate that now in light of this incident as we always do in law formts when we try to make sure that people are safe especially individuals that are working in this sometimes dangerous environment.

>> can you tell us a little more about the suspect without going into the kind of details that you are not allowed to release, did he have any indication of violent history or a background of any kind? >> we are looking at his background right now, we don't believe at this point that there was any substantial back grown but that is in the process of being confirmed. >> when you say a case worker what do you mean? >> amen mental health worker. >> we are not sure we are interviewing the doctor will be interviewed obviously as well as anyone that was in the peripheral offices that would have heard this. >> were all three in the same office, though were all in close proximity to where the incident occurred. they are all small offices and

it's a small psychiatric unit. >> have you been able to talk to the doctor yet? >> i believe the doctor is with police officers however we are in the process of having the doctor interviewed. whether he has been actually interviewed yet, i believe not. >> is the suspect known to police. we have no reason to believe is he known to local police here however i have not seen the results of a criminal history report. >> tell us how these other employees inside of the the hospital came and tackled this suspect. can you talk more about that? >> certainly there was another doctor that came to his aid and another case worker in the immediate area that came to the aid and acted bravely, to help in the apprehension of the individual. so but the individual was shot

three times and are belief was at that point in time, once the struggle occurred in the hallway, he was already wounded at that point in time. >> did the patient express anything -- anything at this point, indicating why he would do this? >> we have not interviewed the patient, we believe the patient will continue to be in critical condition, is he undergoing surgery probably as we speak and we would expect to attempt to interview him if he survives and we don't know the full status of his medical condition, if he survives we'll attempt to interview him. >> where was he shot? >> in this area? were there surveillance cameras? >> he was shot once or twice in his torso area and as far as cameras go, there are cameras in the circum -- of the facility but none in the area of the treatment occurring off the

waiting room. >> was he targeting the case worker or doctor or just here to create carnage? >> it's unclear what was motivating this individual to bring a gun with him to an appointment with a psychiatrist and what would motivate him to use that weapon is unclear at this point in time. and i'm hoping that the doctor involved and the doctor who was also present in an adjacent office can shed light on what motivates an individual to do this. >> i can't answer that question, sometimes doctors much to their chagrin are facing situations in a psychiatric setting. i can tell you this was a situation where obviously the doctor faced a situation where his life was in jeopardy, i

don't know what the typical policy is or what the practice is. in this community, concerning that type of situation. >> what kind of ammunition did the suspect have on him? was it a gun or fine anything additional on him? >> i'm not aware of additional ammunition but that is being reviewed. we believe that there was a handgun involved and i don't understand that handgun, i don't have additional information. >> the way you describe it is that this doctor may have saved a lot of lives here today? >> you never know and this is a dangerous situation, this could be a much different situation if the perpetrate of was allowed to continue with his actions, so i give credit to the staff for intervening and tremendous credit for the police for responding and being able to get here in a short period of time and securing this area and

making sure that all the employees, all of the other patients and visitors to this particular center were protected and safe. >> so when police arrive, these other employees were holding him down? he was taken into custody, and treated with the paramedics at that point in time when the police arrived and the scene was secured, our s.w.a.t. team was called into to secure the rest of building and we didn't know what we were approaching at the time and we approached it with caution that he may not have acted alone and as always when we arrive at a scene, we are not sure as to what the total situation is in regards to an active shooter and are able to assess the situation, in this case we were able to remove the threat and secure the building and make sure everybody was

safe. >> can you recap what you know now, that you didn't know the last time and give us the blow by blow? >> of course we are still in the process of interviewing and we expect to continue to the interviews over the next few hours, until we are able to talk to some of the people that were actually in that room or in the adjacent rooms, we are just piecing together exactly what you have heard thus far. and that is the patient arrived with a case worker and went into a private office of the doctor, other individuals heard some yelling, and at that point in time and checked and heard shots fired and responded accordingly, that is what we have in summary fashion, but i would expect to release additional information in an hour or so. >> we'll see you back out here

in the next hour? >> thank you very much. >> the hospital is open. >> we have been listening to another briefing from jack walen district attorney, delaware county. the female employee killed was a case worker who may have accompanied the gunman into the psych unit at mercy fitzgerald this afternoon and the gunman opened fire and someone returned fire and it may have been the doctor. the gunman is in critical condition tonight and as we heard from authorities, if he survives his injuries they will try to interview him to try to fine the motive for the gun fire this afternoon. >> not only did staffers have to intervene, the doctor in charge shot the suspect with his own gun, the doctor having a second

gun to the suspect's gun but staffers tackled the suspect already injured and still fleeing, they are being credited with saving other lives possibly and the s.w.a.t. was still called in to make sure there wasn't a second gunm

we are breaking news on a shooting at mercy fitzgerald hospital. dann cuellar is outside of the hop and he spoke with hospital workers that witnessed the chaos throughout the afternoon. >> reporter: hey good afternoon to you and monica. the mercy fitzgerald wellness center remains evacuated. all appointments for the rest of the day are cab selled and there is no word on when it will be reopened to the public. there were roughly 100 people inside of the wellness center across the street from the hospital. there were about 100 people in there.

it was chaotic after the shooting with officers telling everybody to get out. >> when we were in there, i'm getting at the desk and all of a sudden the cops came in with the guns drawn and they asked us all to get out and leave. they sent us through the back door, you hear that three people got shot and a doctor. >> mind blowing? >> yes. >> i was at the doctor's office on the third floor and i left to go to the pharmacy there, and they said no, no go back. a doctor and two patients got shot and the killer is at large, i went out the back door, i had to get out of here. >> reporter: back live on the scene, you see the third floor, that is where the psychiatric ward is located.

this incident unfolded shortly after 2:00 this afternoon. that is the store dwri from here, it's still developing as we speak. back to you rick and monica. >> lets switch live to ali gorman outside of the hospital at the university of pennsylvania. where the victim is being treated. >> two patients were brought here both a doctor and suspect to the emergency room, it's a level one trauma center, this is the scene when one ambulance from darby fire company said it was reported. we learned since three people were shot and one is dead, one is the suspect in critical condition, the doctor is also being treated at the hospital of the university of pennsylvania, he suffered graze wound and we are still waiting to hear details about their conditions, and more about how a tragic incident like this could happen

inside of a hospital. of course, mercy fitzgerald hospital, we'll continue to monitor the hospital, we are live outside of the hospital. pennsylvania, ali gorman, channel 6 "action news." >> thank you. we have been following this story since it broke on the air and online at 6abc.com. stay with us throughout the evening for updates on this developing story from delaware county.

time for a check of traffic, lets go to matt pellman. >> we have huge issues in the great northeast with a vehicle fire here on 95, the southbound side of the work zone at cotman avenue, not much left of the vehicle at this point. fire crews arrived on the scene and they are spraying water on the hot spots in the car and southbound the left lane is getting by. as they continue their work, that means we have an absolute parking lot from 95 to past street road to cotman avenue, just the left lane getting by. there is the parking lot we are left with heading southbound. you want to think alternates instead. delco is locked up to highland avenue but the motorcycle crash

is gone. we'll check it just a bid.

meteorologist, cecily tynan is at the big board tonight. and after a rainy night and soggy morning we are clearing out. >> temperatures are more

comfortable than yesterday. 83 in philadelphia, that is 10 degrees cooler than yesterday. allentown 81 and millville 82 and trenton 78 degrees, so the temperatures are lower and the dew points are significantly lower. this time yesterday we had dew points at 70 degrees, now generally in the 50s, when you get dew points below 60 this time of year that is a dry air mass and very comfortable. the satellite 6 along with action radar showing the storms last night then is down to the south, there was a deadly tornado in the eastern shore of virginia and there are tornado warnings south of richmond. this high pressure is bringing us loads of sunshine and comfortable air tomorrow and as we head into the weekend, but then things begin to change. dew points really tell the story, tomorrow dew points in the low 60s, that is comfortable, and they begin to creep up saturday and sunday,

especially saturday and sunday, very humid and then they begin to drop, as a cold front moves through and you can see the breath of fresh air returning on tuesday, dew points back into the 50s, they creep up and they have more storms on monday and then it drys off on tuesday and wednesday of next week. the call from accuweather, a few clouds and the humidity is low and a great night to turn off the air conditioning and open up the window and 65 in philadelphia and allentown 56, and trenton 60 degrees, the get away forecast for friday, philadelphia 84 and the shore sunshine is back, it's gloomy today and 80 degrees, and the poconos mostly sunny and cool and a high of 75 degrees, the five-day at 5:00, shows a gorgeous day, 84 degrees and low humidity and increasing clouds late in the day and perhaps an evening thunderstorm and sun the

heat returns and thunderstorms on monday and tuesday the high only 80 some areas likely staying in the 70s, i'll let you know if the cool air sticks around.

"action news" at 5:00 continues now with the latest on our breaking news story out of delaware county, this is where there was a shooting at the wellness campus of mercy fitzgerald hospital. an armed man walked into a psychiatric ward on the fourth floor and he shot and killed his case worker and he pulled out his own gun and shot the suspect and then the suspect shot him. the doctor suffered a graze wound and the suspect was critically injured and both were taken to the hospital of pennsylvania and authorities updated the public about a half hour ago and more information is coming in and we are trying to determine the identities of everyone involved but it certainly was a chaotic and dramatic scene at the hospital

this afternoon. >> two guns retrieved at the scene and one with the perpetrator and one we believe that the doctor may have possessed at this point in time. we believe the doctor certainly from all of our accounts would be acting in self-defense but we are looking at that information as we speak. >> and now "action news" reporter vernon odom who got to the scene shortly after this all unfolded is live with more. >> reporter: good evening, rick it's very easy to describe the scene at this hospital this afternoon. it was an atmosphere of fear, chaos and a massive buildup of police from multiple jurisdictions. police came from multiple delco jurisdictions and there was fear that a second attacker may be loose on this campus. >> a cop came with hi