Ben Taub Hospital is back to normal after authorities responded to reports of a possible shooting there Tuesday afternoon. After an extensive search, police ultimately found no evidence of a shooting or a shooter.
Police received calls of shots fired around 2 p.m., leading to the building being evacuated and a heavy law enforcement response.
It was a tense scene outside: bystanders, hospital employees and even patients in hospital gowns milled around, waiting for word from inside.
Police Chief Art Acevedo later said police searched all six floors of the building twice, but found no sign of a shooting — no damage, nobody injured. Acevedo also said all hospital patients and employees were safe.
Still, the chief said the response was warranted.
“We have multiple witnesses that heard a man yell ‘drop the gun, drop the gun,’” he said. “We have multiple folks that heard two large bangs.”
Swat officers stayed on the scene for a while after the hospital was deemed safe and people were allowed back inside. Police now plan to review videos from inside the building as they continue investigating.
Tweets sent during the investigation:
Houston Police in a Ben Taub stairwell during their preliminary search of the hospital. #khou #HouNews https://t.co/dKdE19b7vz pic.twitter.com/5PZbsQZ1JR
— The Bishop (@BillBishopKHOU) February 21, 2017
I’m at #bentaub outside the NeuroPsychiatric Center, with a crowd of evacuated staff. All waiting for morning information on the shooter. pic.twitter.com/UxMrZbtyLs
— Kaitlin Monte FOX26 (@kaitlinmonte) February 21, 2017
Hospital patients outside of #BenTaub hospital as reports of active shooter inside #hounews pic.twitter.com/uPWkWnZcJu
— Brooke Lewis (@brookelewisa) February 21, 2017
Breaking: Doctors and patients outside Ben Taub Hospital in Houston. Reports of a possible shooting.#khou #HouNews https://t.co/dKdE19sIn7 pic.twitter.com/HqL1DaubU5
— The Bishop (@BillBishopKHOU) February 21, 2017