ROANOKE, Va. — Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital has implemented enhanced security protocols, including weapons detectors, across its campus, a move initiated four months after a hatchet attack in the emergency department. The measures, which began at the hospital’s main entrances on April 29, follow an earlier pilot program tested in the emergency department.
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The decision to increase security was announced in February, stemming from the December 25, 2024, incident where Ryan Lee Jones, 37, allegedly rushed at and attacked an emergency physician with a hatchet. The physician was unharmed due to the swift response of hospital security and law enforcement, and Jones was charged with malicious wounding.
Although Carilion was already working to bolster security before the incident, the attack highlighted the upgrades’ urgency, reports the Cardinal News.
Weapons Detectors Deployed at All Carilion Main Entrances
The newly installed CEIA Opengate System weapons detectors will screen for prohibited items at all Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital main entrances. Visitors aged 18 and older are now required to obtain and wear visitor badges for the duration of their stay, reports WSLS. All bags brought into the facility will be searched. Clear bags are not mandatory but recommended to expedite entrance.
Items such as firearms, knives, blunt objects, vapes, and similar prohibited items are strictly barred from the premises unless lawfully carried by on-duty law enforcement.
Carilion Clinic’s security upgrades also come in the wake of increased nationwide threats to healthcare institutions. Earlier this year, a post on social media threatened Level One Trauma centers with coordinated attacks. This led the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Health-ISAC in March to issue a widespread public warning about potential dangers.
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Workplace violence is a serious issue in hospitals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthcare workers face workplace violence at more than three times the rate of other professions.
