Angry Patient Threatens to 'Smoke Up' Hospital: Cops

OAK LAWN, IL — A patient claiming to be a gang member told nurses that he was going to “smoke up” the hospital building and made a gun gesture with his hands, according to police reports.

Oak Lawn police responded to a report of a patient making threatenings statements to staff around 3:11 p.m. April 27, at Advocate Christ Medical Center, 4401 W. 95th St.

A nurse told police that she and other nurses were caring for a 20-year-old patients identified as Marcel Q. Harris, of Chicago. During his treatment, hospital staff alleged that Harris became irate and verbally confrontational with staff.

According to the report, Harris told a nurse treating him he was going to “shake it up in here” and would “have his people come to smoke up the building.” After he made the statements, he made a gesture of a gun with his fingers.

Police said the nurses became concerned that Harris’s gang member friends would come to the hospital and shoot the staff.

Harris allegedly denied stating he would blow up the building, but did admit to saying that he would “smoke up the building.”

Asked what that meant, Harris pounded his fist in the palm of his hand stating, “I mean my people going to come to fight,” police said.

Harris allegedly told police he didn’t really mean that he would have anyone come to the hospital and fight, but only made the statement because he was angry with hospital staff.

Police issued Harris a citation for disorderly conduct. He has a hearing at Oak Lawn Village Hall on June 7.

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