“A psychiatric
patient ranted about a hospital gun ban before opening fire at the suburban
medical complex, killing his caseworker and grazing his psychiatrist before the
doctor pulled out his own weapon and fired back, authorities said Friday.
“Dr. Lee Silverman emptied his
chamber, striking patient Richard Plotts several times. Plotts by then had shot
the caseworker in the face and fired several shots at Silverman, including one
that grazed his temple and another that struck his thumb, official said.
“Plotts had 39 unspent bullets on
him when he was wrestled to the ground at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby,
authorities say — and police believe he had planned to use them.
“‘I believe that if the doctor did
not have a firearm, (and) the doctor did not utilize the firearm, he'd be dead
today, and I believe that other people in that facility would also be dead,’
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan said Friday…
“‘When the caseworker was shot,
(Silverman) crouched down behind the desk to avoid him being shot,’ Whelan
said. ‘He was able to reach for his weapon, and realizing it was a
life-or-death situation, was able to engage the defendant in the exchange of
gunfire.’
“The struggle spilled into the hallway, where another
doctor and caseworker jumped in to help Silverman and secure Plotts' weapon,
Whelan said…
“Hospital policy bars anyone except
on-duty law enforcement officers from carrying weapons on campus, a Mercy
Health System spokeswoman said. She otherwise declined to discuss why Silverman
was armed at work.”
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The news media would much prefer that Dr. Silverman be dead than to admit the truth that everyone has a right to protect their own life. The Supreme Court has already issued the opinion that the police do not have the obligation to protect us. They are an investigative body. Who then has the right and obligation to protect us? We do!
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