A call came in at 3:50 p.m. for an assault with a deadly weapon at the Encino Hospital Medical Center emergency room, where the suspect stabbed three hospital employees, said LAPD Deputy Chief Alan S. Hamilton. He said two of the victims are currently in stable condition while the third is in critical condition and is currently in surgery.
Police said the suspect is now barricaded inside the hospital and is no longer a threat to the community, although he is believed to still have a knife. The first floor and other relevant areas of the hospital have been evacuated as well as office buildings across the street, Hamilton said.
The suspect is an adult male who has had multiple contacts with police, Hamilton said, including two arrests for assaulting officers. It is not immediately clear what the suspect’s motive was for the stabbings but police said that it appears he was seeking some type of treatment.
Officers are posted throughout important areas of the building while police attempt to get the suspect out of the barricade, according to Hamilton.
