Police: Man Shoots Self During Confrontation With Trooper In Claremore

A man died in the parking lot of a Claremore hospital Thursday after a brief interaction with police.

It all happened shortly after 3:30 p.m. at the Hillcrest Hospital on Blue Starr Road.

Police say someone called 911 to report a man sitting in a car in the parking lot with a firearm just outside the ER.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Dwight Durant said two Claremore officers and one OHP trooper rushed to the hospital.

"As they get out of their patrol cars the individual steps out with a weapon," Durant said.

Police say the man fired one round, but it's unclear if it was aimed at officers.

Durant said, "The individual goes back into the car, the trooper starts to make an approach."

He said they cautiously approached until they said suspect got back out of his vehicle, pointed his weapon at the officers. Durant said shots were fired at the man.

Claremore Police Deputy Chief Charles Downum said it's unknown if the suspect was hit by officer gunfire, but that it was the OHP trooper who fired a shot.

"Don't know at this point if it struck the guy or not, the guy did fall back into his car," Downum said.

Durant said officers heard another gunshot and eventually found the suspect dead of what they believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police then secured the area and the hospital was put on lockdown.

Downum said, "Put it on lockdown temporarily, until we could determine that he was by himself."

Once police learned the suspect was alone, they called in investigators who are working to determine who the man is, why he came to the hospital, and why he pointed a gun at police.

All that information is still under investigation by OHP.

A spokesperson for Hillcrest Hospital said staff went into a special lockdown when they were aware a gun was on the hospitals campus.

Officials said staff practices for this type of incident and that everyone followed procedures.