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by: Alicia Patton
Posted:
Updated:
by: Alicia Patton
Posted:
Updated:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A man has been taken into custody after police he say opened fire inside Ascension St. Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville.
On Saturday, Nov. 26, officers were sent to the 2000 block of Church Street to respond to a shots fired call and reports of a man who had a gun in the hospital’s stairwell.
According to an affidavit, once on scene security guards told officers they heard at least two gun shots go off in the stairwell and that the suspect was located on the fourth floor.
Court records say officers confronted Nicholas Perre Zaayenga, 33, with firearms and gave him commands to follow. Police say Zaayenga followed commands and was taken into custody.
At the scene, officers found a firearm, multiple magazines and multiple bullet casings that matched the same caliber as the pistol that was found near Zaayenga.
An affidavit states the gunfire caused damage to a door inside the stairwell and two nurses reported they could hear the gunshots nearby.
Officials later discovered that Zaayenga entered the hospital through a back door, according to court records. Officers say there is a no firearms permitted sign posted at the hospital’s front door with the TCA code at the bottom.
Zaayenga was charged with reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, which is a Class E felony. He remains in Metro Jail.
News 2 reached out to Ascension about Saturday’s incident at St. Thomas Midtown Hospital and received the following statement:
The safety of our associates, providers, patients and visitors is always our highest priority. We are so proud of the prompt response by our associates and the Metro Nashville Police Department. We are most thankful for the safety of all involved. Our campus leaders have visited hospital departments to answer associates’ questions, concerns and provide support. We are fully cooperating with Metro Nashville Police Department in their investigation.
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This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.
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