this morning at approximately 11:35 a.m. Our officers responded to advent
medical center located at 301 medical memorial parkway in Daytona Beach in
reference to *** person shot. Upon arrival. Our officers were directed to
the 11th floor where they encountered an elderly female who had apparently
shot her terminally ill husband. I'm very very proud of of my officers and
how they responded to the situation. Uh my hostage negotiators were able to
establish *** dialogue with the wife and that dialogue lasted until
approximately three PM where we were finally able to take her into custody.
So again, um I'm actually proud of all the first responders that responded to
this very tragic and unfortunate incident because this was truly an
example of how we should do it, how we should work together as far as um
overall incident command. So it was truly uh it was *** very trying day for
us. But I'm proud of everybody from the swat team, the hostage negotiation team,
All the medics, F. D. And just the overall communication couldn't been,
couldn't have been better. Uh, so at this time I will open it up for
questions. Did she say why she did it? Yes. So apparently because he was
terminally ill, uh they had *** conversation about it and they actually
planned this approximately three weeks ago that if he continued to take ***
turn for the worse that she wanted uh he wanted her to end this. So obviously
we're unsure how she brought that gun into the hospital. But this was planned.
Is there anything that detects weapons heading into the hospital at the
hospital? Interest? Not to my knowledge. Um That would be *** better question
for hospital staff. I'm pretty sure they'll be releasing *** statement at
some point in reference to the logistics of security and and what they
have set up at the hospital.
She thought about it. So initially I think the plan was *** murder suicide.
So she killed him and then she was going to turn the gun on herself but
decided she couldn't go through with it. So we were able to establish ***
dialogue with her. We use some distraction eri we use the distraction
ery device uh to get her to put that gun down long enough for us to hit her
with less lethal and get her into custody.
She's gonna be facing, she could be facing *** first degree murder charge.
She is now in custody here. So we were able to get her into custody and we
brought her back here. So we we have her in custody here. Well they're
working on the paperwork. She will be charged but that's why she's here now
and they're working on the paperwork. So she will be transported to the
Volusia County branch jail from here. Yes. Where was I believe he was shot in
the head.
She's very sad. This is obviously uh It's *** tough situation. So her
husband's terminally ill. So she was already in *** depressed state just
based on her husband being terminally ill. And knowing that the end was near?
She said she was elderly. How old? So my victim, his name is Jerry Guillen.
He was 77 years of age and I don't know how long he was *** patient there at
advent and his wife Ellen was 76 years of age. Both residents of new Sreyrna
beach florida. I will have my P.I. get you all this information.
I don't have that specific number. They had to evacuate the surrounding rooms.
Um this was somewhat of *** logistical nightmare, which is why again, I'm very
very proud of my my team because that 11th floor is made up of terminally ill
patients. So pretty much all the patients on that floor on ventilators.
So they don't have room, they didn't have the room to evacuate that entire
floor. So they evacuated the rooms where it was most important to get them
out of the way.
Some were relocated to another floor. Yes. The wife say that the husband knew
what was gonna happen today. I mean is this something they planned to happen
today where they were planning for it to happen. But not *** specific date
from, from what I was told, he was aware of it. Apparently the goal was
for him to do it but he did not have the strength so she had to carry it out
for him.
You know if they recorded any of this or not that I'm aware of. Not that I'm
aware of. Was there any medical team from advent health in the room near the
room at the time that this happened? That, I don't know. I'm pretty sure
obviously they're the ones that called us. So at some point they responded
there realized what, what, what just took place. So they backed out and
called us.
They're on their way to being back to normal operations. I, we leave that up
to the medical staff as far as how they want to uh, start receiving patients
again. So I think once we clear out, then they're in that process now of
restoring order and
starting to receive patients again. Um, and she shot him just one time. Yes. Um,
have you seen anything like this happened before with murder suicide?
Like somebody dealing with an illness and any message to people who are
struggling. Unfortunately, we see this quite often, especially around the
holidays because the holidays are generally depressing times for folks.
So yes, we've seen this before. Um, and the only advice I could give would be
to, you know, do their best to seek help if they're having thoughts around
themselves with family. Um, but that's probably the best advice that I can
give. It's just, it's *** tragic circumstance because it it just shows
that none of us are immune from the trials and tribulations of life? Do we
know what happened in the minutes after that shooting? We heard that she was in
*** broom closet or something like that? Did members of staff from the hospital
tried to intervene or she chased? Did she just run? Do you have any idea like
how there was no chase? Uh Everything was confined to that room. Everything
was confined to the room even after the initial shooting, she never tried to
get up and leave. So everything was confined to the room um at no time
where any of the hospital staff threatened or any other patients, It,
it's called *** flash bang that the swat team uses. They use it. It just
makes *** loud noise. It's like ***, you know, I'm pretty sure you're
familiar with that. So they threw in *** flash bang to distract her and
luckily it worked and they were able to get her into custody
was bean bag. Yes. Yes. Was she threatening for people that if they
were to come in that she would cause more harm. Is that why those tactics
were used? Well, she never put the gun down so she never specifically made ***
threat that she was going to shoot any of us, but she never put the gun down.
So we would have to assume that you know, if we were to rush in there, we
didn't effectively communicate that it could have turned into *** shootout
situation.
What just happened at the hospital. Like what?
He was already *** patient at the hospital. He was terminally ill.
Yes.
I don't know. That's *** question for advent staff. Will they go back and I
mean you go back and investigate like why how could she get the gun in there?
Do not have any kind of security checks anything. I mean to *** certain point,
yes we will go back and those are conversations that will be had in the
days to come. What type of gun was it?
I don't remember the specific caliber of it. But there was *** term that I
was looking uh that I couldn't find the term but it is unified command. That is
the greatest example of unified command as far as what took place, as far as
everybody working together. That is what we, I'm not sure. Please. No, this
wasn't *** shared hospital room. Um Was it just him in that room? It was just
him in the room. Another police formally stationed at the hospital. No,
no,
nope. I cannot give that information nor do I have it.
Thank you.