Hospital Shelter-in-Place Order Lifted; Gunman Still Sought

A shelter-in-place order has been lifted at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose on Thursday afternoon after a possibly armed man was reported there, hospital and Santa Clara County sheriff’s officials said.

A hospital visitor saw the suspect pick up a firearm that was in a garbage can and alerted hospital security guards, who notified sheriff’s deputies at 1:19 p.m., sheriff’s Sgt. James Jensen said.

The center is located at the corner of South Bascom and Moorpark avenues near the interchange between Interstate Highways 880 and 280.

The visitor provided a description of the suspect, who deputies were able to track through the hospital’s surveillance system, Jensen said.

The suspect was apparently carrying the gun somewhere on his body but did not aim it at anyone, Valley Medical Center spokeswoman Joy Alexiou said.

The man did not threaten anybody at the hospital or attempt to disguise himself, and left the site around 1:30 p.m. according to Jensen.

No injuries were reported.

Investigators have tracked down a possible identity of the male suspect, who San Jose police are working to contact at his home, according to Jensen.

Deputies searched each floor of the hospital’s buildings and are looking for any information that can assist them in the investigation, according to Jensen.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted shortly before 3:30 p.m., county health officials said on Twitter.

--Bay City News Service