Cape Town hospital shooting: staff hailed as heroes

Staff who helped secure the scene of a fatal shooting at the New Somerset Hospital in Cape Town on Saturday night have been hailed as heroes.

Three people were killed – including a police officer, after a patient who was about to be discharged grabbed the officer’s firearm, shooting dead two patients, and wounding the policeman – who later died in hospital.

Western Cape Minister of Health, Nomafrench Mbombo, says the police officer who was seriously wounded during a shooting incident at the New Somerset Hospital, near the Waterfront in Cape Town, has died in hospital. #sabcnews

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Chief Operation Officer (COO) at the Western Cape Department of Health, Saadiq Kariem, says one staff member showed immense bravery.

“The Sister who spoke the shooter down, she in fact sedated him as well, so she was able to sedate the shooter just to allow the area to be secured and all the staff just rallied around immediately. They brought the patients out of danger, moved them to the corner of the ward, looked after them there, police secured the area.”

“The staff were just absolutely heroes on this Mothers Day,” added the COO.

Meanwhile, the Western Cape Health MEC, Nomafrench Mbombo, who visited the hospital on Sunday, said counselling services will be provided to all affected staff.